


Daughter of Madness

by worldismyne



Category: Soul Eater
Genre: Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Angst and Hurt/Comfort, F/M, Female Crona (Soul Eater), Slow Burn, Teen Romance
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-10-17
Updated: 2020-11-15
Packaged: 2021-03-09 05:33:49
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 8
Words: 22,475
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/27059563
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/worldismyne/pseuds/worldismyne
Summary: Kid doesn't want to doubt his father, but after the Kishen's release Kid can't help but wonder if there's other things Lord Death is hiding. With help from Chrona, the two uncover what dark secrets pitted Shinigami and witches against one another. Can their budding relationship survive the growing madness that threatens the world? (Manga compliant).
Relationships: Crona/Death the Kid
Comments: 13
Kudos: 19





	1. Prologue

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> It was a song taught to children so they would know not to talk to strangers. But was there truth to the rhyme? Was there really a girl with black blood?

_Guess who's back,_

_Dressed in black,_

_Come to take her soul back._

In ancient Greece, long before the era of Shinigami, there was a time when witches and humans lived in peace. Granted, there was always a boundary of uncertainty that separated these mysterious enchantresses from the common folk; but they were respected none the less. The world rejoiced in a state of warm complacency. 

It was in the smaller villages that ignorance lead to fear and hate. Pandora often found herself at the receiving end of such ignorance. Her pink hair and heritage marked her birth as a bad omen. The town did their best to avoid her, not wanting to deal with any bad luck that might befall them should they speak with her. Only one person in the whole village paid her any mind, Persephone.

Persephone was unlike Pandora in many ways. Still, to the bewilderment to the village, she reached out to Pandora and tried to teach how to welcome the many beautiful things of the world. Such a positive outlook was rare, for the throne of the Underworld was due to change hands at any moment. The western cities jumped at the chance to take hold of as many villages as possible. The villagers feared that theirs would become yet another conquest. In an effort to calm their fears Persephone volunteered to talk with the reigning lord of the underworld and prove that Marvo would be safe. None begged her to stay more than Pandora, whose reputation hung on the fate of the village. Still Persephone set forth, leaving her friend defenseless among the narrow-minded villagers. That afternoon Pandora wept under the branches of an old oak tree.  


"Such a pretty girl should not be crying in the woods alone." She turned and saw a cloaked boy holding a strange box. Her, beautiful? She was a disgracefully frail shell of a person; dark circles were permanently a part of her blemished features, and her eyes, an eerie shade of purple.

"W-who are you?" She sniffed, "I've never seen you around here before."

"My name is... unimportant." He said with a slight smirk.

"Th-that's a s-strange." She said as she leaned further into the roots.

"I'm a traveling lord," He explained, "and couldn't help but see you were crying." He crouched down to her level, his black irises danced with an inhuman mirth. "What could have made you so unhappy?"

"My friend went to talk with Lord Odin about the safety of our village and I have a sinking feeling that she won't return. I tried to stop her, but she wouldn't listen to me." Tears began to flow down her face again. "I don't have anyone else here." The lord frowned and glanced down at the box he held in his hand, then held it out to her.

"Do you know what this is?" He asked. The box he held in his hands was made of polished sulfur, with twisted bone to line its edges of the box.

"A box." She asked, recoiling at the sight.

"Not just any box." He said placing it in her hands. "This box will grant your deepest desire."

"But I don't have any-"

"Think of it as a gift. A word of caution, in order to grant your wish, the box must take something equal in value. So don't open it unless you really need it." Pandora glanced up to protest once more, but the boy was gone. All that remained was the bone and sulfur box that lay in her hands.

_He says come,_

_Let's have some fun,_

_Open the box, the game's begun._

Pandora couldn't bear to leave the box behind. As the days turned to into months, Persephone did not return. The villagers blamed Pandora, claiming that she bewitched the girl into running off. Despite her pleas, Pandora stayed the enemy in their eyes. When news of an invasion from the west came, she finally was at her wits end. She no longer knew how to deal with the angry people that surrounded her life. After a particularly cruel day she trudged to her room and looked down at the box. Mud dripped from her clothes as she reached for the lid. Anything had to be better than the treatment she faced day to day. Carefully she threw open the lid.

All at once, a black monster burst forth from the box, its form dripped as if made of pure liquid. She felt a sickening, spiritual wave length come from the creature.

"You've have set me free from my prison fragment of magic." Its ethereal voice curdled. Pieces of its body dripped to the floor and took animistic shape; running off in different directions. "In exchange I shall grant your wish, and destroy those that you do not know how to deal with." Her soul ripped itself from her body and was sucked into the box. As the lid snapped tightly closed, the black creature took off, breaking through the roof of her room. She watched as the massive demon disappeared over the horizon.

Slowly she turned to the floor at a puddle of ichor the creature left behind. The puddle quivered and stretched, and twisted into a spire. Limbs jutted out of the sides and the base split. Slowly it grew skin and the black liquid dried into iron armor. A demon knight with piercing eyes stood where the puddle once had been, masquerading as a human. A sadistic smile glided across its newly formed features.

"Your wish is my command." He said. Still in shock Pandora watched as the knight walked into Mavro and drew a jet black sword. He sliced the villagers in half like butter, laughing at how their blood painted the dirt. The whole village was becoming a war zone before its prime.

"S-stop." She whispered, "Please, this isn't what I wanted." Still the swords-man hacked and hued the dwindling villagers "STOP!" It was too late; the entire village had been slaughtered. She ran out of the house and grasped the arm of her knight. But no words would come out, only tears.

"I understand miss, but be patient. Your wish has almost been granted." She shook her head not understanding. Then the sound of horses drew her attention. A nobleman from the west hopped off of his steed, taking in the state of the village in disbelief. Thunder shook through the sky and cold rain drenched the caravan.

"What happened here?" He demanded.

"It was terrible," The knight said, "our own country thought the town was producing weapons for the east. They slaughtered the whole village before I got here. She is the only survivor." He gestured to Pandora. "I found her hiding in a corner behind the doors of her home."  


"I'm so sorry this happened to you. Surely they must have been mistaken." He looked to his men. "We are taking her back with us; I can't leave such a beautiful lady behind in such conditions." The noblemen took her hand, but Pandora felt numb. The men before her barely took notice of the carnage around them, their gazes transfixed on her alone.   


"If I may," The knight stated, "I hardly know you, I don't think my conscious could rest if I let her walk off with a strange man." With each passing moment, Pandora felt more ill at ease.  


"Are you her caretaker?" The knight nodded, "I can not stop you from following. Very well, we head back to Italy." The man shouted to his companions, who responded with a resounding cheer.  


"They're just going to leave these people here?" She looked to her knight, "He can't be serious!" The knight chuckled darkly.  


"Why would they matter, they're already dead. Besides, have you seen yourself lately?" She looked at her reflection in the ground water and gasped. Her face was clear of all blemishes, her frame and hair flowed healthy rather than falling limp in the rain.  


"I don't understand-"

"A depressing soul like yours was weighted down with all of those pesky attachments." He guided her towards the caravan with an unyielding force. "Our body is, after all, a reflection of the soul; without one it will flourish on the madness of the world instead. It's a quality that... entrances most humans." She felt dizzy as the people around her settled her into the carriage."You're welcome."

"What is madness?" She asked. The knight cackled at her naivety.

"You'll see."  


The nobleman she met turned out to be the son of a wealth Italian merchant. She stayed in Florence and soon married the man that took her away from her Greek village. Still, she could not run from the terror she unleashed onto the world. Disease began to spread through the countries, poverty entrapped the smaller towns, and no one could take a step in the world without fear flooding into their soul. As people grew more and more distressed Pandora grew more beautiful. The people of Florence loved her, she had a husband and daughter, all the riches of the world was at her finger tips. But the guilt of unleashing madness onto the world gnawed at her conscious. Paranoia fueled a brewing rage. She dismissed her knight, and grew distant from her family. She didn't want to be reminded of the pain she had brought the world with her selfishness.

Eventually the only solace she found was in her rose garden. The white flowers reminded her of how the world used to be. Until one day when she went to pick a rose and pricked her finger on the thorns. She recoiled and went to bring the wound to her lips to alleviate the pain. Then stopped, her eyes widening at the sight of her hand. Her blood ran black with sin.

_What an act,_

_Her blood is black,_

_She'll never get her soul back._

She tore through the mansion to the embellished room she had lived in for the past thirty years. There, on its own table, sat the sulfur box she had traded her soul for so many years ago. Desperate to undo what she had done, she grabbed to box from its perch and hurtled it to the marble floor; praying that death would be merciful and allow her out of the deal she had made. The box shattered into many pieces and her soul floated free of its prison, yet made no move to go back into her body. A long shadow stretched along the floor and a gloved hand grasped the fragile soul.

"Lord Death, thank goodness you've-" She looked up with tear in her eyes. "YOU!" It was as if time had not touched the young man that stood before her;; the one who dared give a Kishen's tomb to a mortal.  


"Hmm?" The male Shinigami furrowed his brow. "I'm not-" He stopped mid sentence as a memory burst forth from his conscience. "Allow me to properly introduce myself. My name is Hades, now lord of the underworld." Pandora backed away on the floor in tears.

"B-but when I met you, you said-"

"That I was a traveling lord, which was true. As you can guess my presences wasn't exactly welcomed in the towns that I passed through, so I concealed my identity while migrating."

"Then you-"

"Were the one that gave you the box, yes."

"No. Nononononono!" She cried, "This can't be, I thought that if I- and then you-" Pandora curled into a fetal position and bawled. The Shingami frowned at the sight. "I thought that if I broke the box I could take back the wish I made and now~ Oh if only I didn't open that stupid box everything would have been fine."

"…you didn't like the gift." He stated, void of emotion.

"How could I, because of it-"

"Then let's make a deal." Hades said, Pandora looked up from her knees. He held the same mischievous smile she saw when she first met him. "Since you don't like the way your wish turned out, I'll give your soul a second chance. If one of your decedents can stand in the face in of the madness and capture the Kishen you released, I will give you your soul back. If your family can not break free by the 1,000th year, your linage will end and your soul will belong to me." Pandora considered the offer carefully.

"H-how do I know you won't cheat?" The Shinigami chuckled at her.

"I'll give you a fair chance. Your soul's wavelength can guide your decedents and I will do the same for mine." He pulled on his own soul and held it in his other hand. "Do we have a deal?" Pandora hesitated then nodded placing a hand on his soul.

"Deal."

_If she's won,_

_When she's done,_

_She will be back on square one._


	2. Deja Vu

Over the years, a bedtime story had been chalked up to be nothing more than a fairy tale that would trick small children into not talking to strangers. How could there ever have been an Underworld? Shinigami were revered as noble protectors of the natural world order and witches were evil sorceresses that caused merciless destruction. Even under the threat of madness, the ancient covenant still held true 914 years later, whether people chose to believe it or not.

To protect people in these dark times, Lord Death had created a school to train young men and women to fight against witches and the means to summon demonic gods known as the Kishen. For generations, weapons specialists known as miesters fought along side their partners who could transform into weapons. All of which worked for Lord Death at Shibusen Academy, to become earn the title of Death Scythe.

Deep within the libraries of Shibusen a young man leaned against the counter engrossed in his own thoughts. Recently the balance of the world had tipped and the first Kishen was released into the world, but that was not what currently troubled the teen.

"I'm sorry sir, it appears that the book was borrowed two months ago and has not been returned as of yet…" The boy turned to face the librarian who addressed him, letting out a frustrated sigh.

"Do you know who borrowed it? I'll get it from that person directly." He asked, there was a pause as the librarian fetched the release form.

"Due to an error on our part, we don't know." The boy looked down at the signature 'M'. Running a hand through his stripped hair, his gold eyes searched for the missing letters. Suddenly he stopped.

"I see, thank you for your time." He muttered and exited the building. The boy was Death the Kid, son of the governing Shinigami. He became suspicious of his father's past when he found a magical tool with his father's signature on it. The inventor of said tool was hardly known in Death City, Nevada. Not only that, but the only book about the inventor was checked out. The young Shinigami sighed. Since the inventor, Eibon, was a wizard he doubted any of the Death Scythes would divulge information to him without arising suspicion. If he had a connection to the magical world, he probably would have better luck. Unfortunately he didn't know anybody who had personal contact with witches.

A dark figure slunk down the hall behind him, trying to conform to the shadows. The Shinigami turned abruptly.

"Who's there!" He snapped, irritable from the whole ordeal.

"Ahh!" A high pitched voice squeaked. "Shinigami-kun! I-I'm sorry. I was just heading to my room." It was the legendary demon sword and his pink haired miester. This was the second time he had encountered the symbiotic pair.

_Kid had just found his way to the deck of the ship Nidhogg. He had been left defenseless at the hands of the Flying Dutchman when he was separated from Liz. Finally he had caught up with his other hand gun on the deck._

_"Liz! You moron! Because of you, I couldn't use Patty!" He shouted, gesturing at the cheerful blonde at his side._

_"Kid, watch out!" Liz warned. Kid turned to see the Flying Dutchman spirit at the helm, his shot gun aimed right for Kid. Before the spirit could pull the trigger, a black sword hurtled to the ship, slicing the head and shot gun in half. Kid stood transfixed as a cloaked figure emerged from the fog and grasped the handle of the blade._

_Immediately he knew who it was, the demon sword that attacked his friend Soul. He was taken aback by the 'fearsome' swordman's appearance. Uneven pink hair, modest black clothing; this was hardly the monstrous black demon Soul had described. The strange miester touched her forehead to the hilt and muttered something he couldn't discern. The sword let out a piercing scream._

_"Liz, Patty; transform." The blonde twins jumped into the air, their bodies glimmered with ethereal light as they each formed a pistol. Kid grabbed them mid air and poised, ready to strike at any moment._

_All at once the souls from the bough of the ship rose and were sucked into the gaping mouth of the demon blade. The miester's eyes fogged over, briefly lost in another world. Then just as suddenly as the souls had vanished, the miester crumpled over in pain. Black wings shot out of the miester's back. She looked at him, eyes still glistening with pain, and took a step back. She had finally noticed he was aboard the vessel._

_"Do you know where hell is?" She asked looking to the ground. "It's in your mind." She raised her sword with trembling hands. "I'm so scared... If I stay this way everyone will leave me behind. So I have to get stronger. If you get in my way," She said finally locking eyes with the Shinigami. "I'll kill you." Those eyes held years of torment behind them. Kid had to act fast. In an instant he had leapt from his spot on the deck and launched a counter attack._

_"Getting power," Kid growled, attacking the swords man, "is that the way you rid yourself of fear! You fool! If you really want to wipe away your fear, then make your soul stronger!" He shot a finishing blow, confident he had bested the demon sword. As the smoke cleared, his opponent dived in and attack from below. The girl stayed in the air as Kid recovered from the blow. When he looked up he was surprised to see the girl was on the verge of tear._

_"Someone like you would never understand. Even bunnies don't understand. If bunnies don't understand… there's no way a perfect Shinigami like you could understand. Leave me alone!"_

_It was the first time someone called him perfect._

The demon sword miester joined DWMA shortly after the Kishen's release. Kid had to admit, this was the first time he had talked to the demon miester since their meeting on Nidhogg. The girl had worked with Medusa, the snake witch, and was partially to blame for the Kishen's escape. Still his friend Maka had insisted that it was not by choice that the sword miester had worked with the witch. Her sword was permanently fused with her blood, and there was nothing the pair could do to separate. It was Maka's hope, that his father would know a way to give them both a normal life. Instead, they were held at the school like prisoners.

"I'm sorry for getting in your way." The shy girl mumbled. Kid briefly nodded to the witch's daughter.

"No, I'm sorry for snapping at you." Kid began to walk down the hall, and then paused. Chrona was a witch's daughter! Of all the people in school, she would know the most about Eibon. He turned; ready to call out her name, but the young miester had already vanished down the hall. It was for the best, if he had asked her directly she might've been scared off by his bluntness. There had to be a way to get her help without scaring her off. But how?

* * *

Thoroughly out of breath, Chrona slammed the beat up metal door of her cell shut. Slowly she sunk to the floor, still shaking with adrenaline. As she panted, her demon sword Ragnarok emerged from the back of her rib cage. He was composed entirely of blackened blood, his facial features outline with shimmering iron.

"What the hell was that about Chrona?" Ragnarok shouted, bopping his miester's head.

"I…didn't…know…how…to deal…with him." Chrona panted.

"Oh, I see." Ragnarok smiled wickedly. "You know, if you run away from everyone you can't deal with, you'll give yourself a heart attack." He said casually.

"WHAT!" Chrona squeaked. "My heart can attack me! Oh no!" Chrona began to rant.

"Chrona." Ragnarok tried to interupt.

"What can I do if I can't trust my own heart? Will I be able to sleep tonight?"

"Chrona!"

"What if it pops out of my chest and walks on little feet when I'm not looking! What if it can use my own blood as a weapon against me!" She gasped.

"CHRONA!"

"I don't know how to deal with this!"

"DAMN IT CHRONA!" Ragnarok pulled on the girl's hair "That's not what a heart attack is! Your heart's not gonna' literally pop of your chest dummy!"

"It won't?" Chrona sniffled. She was rewarded with a swift smack to the head.

"No it won't, but if you panic too much I won't be able to come out. Then where would you be?" Ragnarok scolded, folding his pudgy arms.

"…right here." Chrona answered, confused.

"ARGH!" Ragnarok shouted. "Don't you know a rhetorical question when you hear it!?"

"P-please don't hit me!" Chrona squeaked under the light blows from her partner. She fell on her stomach as she tried to deflect Ragnarok. He frowned when Chrona stopped fighting back.

"What's with you? Usually you start whining about now." He asked. He stopped hitting her in order to rest on top of her messy pink head.

"The bed is bolted to the floor." She commented. Her fingers gentle traced the bolt and surrounding stone.

"Really captain obvious, I had no idea." Ragnarok scoffed.

"But look at it," She said pointing to the stressed bolt, "the stone around it's all scratched up." His blob like form peered over her shoulder.

"Hey, you're right. Come to think of it everything in here's bolted down." Chrona rose from the floor and inspected the dresser and tables. Each furnishing was bolted to the stone floor at the legs. The surrounding stone had been carved unevenly, creating a little room to jostle the furnishings.

"They all have the same scratches." She looked up to her partner. "What does it mean?"

"What am I, an encyclopedia?" Ragnarok demanded. "I don't know! Maybe somebody else stayed in this room! You seriously worry way too much."

* * *

The next day Kid sat in class and tried to think of a way to get Chrona to help him. He looked down at Chrona, a plan forming, but how could he get Chrona alone? He saw her ask Maka something, but the pig-tailed girl shook her head and shrugged. Chrona hung her head, then suddenly scribbled something furiously on a folded piece of paper.

The bell rang and as Kid packed his bag Chrona snuck up behind him and left the folded paper on his desk. When Kid looked up she was gone. He carefully unfolded the note and read what was inside. It read as follows.

_'Dear Shinigami-kun,_

_I have to ask you something, meet me in the library during lunch.'_

This was his chance to talk to Chrona. He tucked the note away into his pocket and slipped out of the class while Stein cleaned up. He hurried into the library to meet Chrona.

"Chrona?" He called. There was a soft squeak from behind one of the book cases. "…Chrona?" He asked with a softer tone.

"I didn't think you would come." She said. Chrona peaked around the book case.

"Why wouldn't I come?" Kid asked, kneeling down to her level. She looked down at the floor.

"You…you don't like me, you think I'm stupid."

"When have I ever-" He stopped, remembering their battle on the Nidhogg. "Oh. I'm…I'm sorry. I didn't mean that you were stupid, I just…" Kid struggled to think of something that wouldn't scare the girl away. "Uh…Well… I know now that you- No, that won't do." This was not going how he planned it! He held his head searching for the right words to pacify Chrona. She slowly pulled herself from the books.

"Shinigami-kun?" she asked. "Are you alright?"

"No, I'm worthless scum who can't even comfort an innocent girl!" Chrona warred with herself whether or not to place a comforting hand on the boy. She knew that his OCD fits could incapacitate him for hours at a time. Kid slowly lowered his hands and looked up at Chrona, a little ashamed of himself. "The reason I came was to ask you something."

"W-what?" Chrona took a step back, "You wanted to ask me something?" Kid nodded, then glanced over his shoulder at a few of the students who were milling about the library.

"Not here though, there are too many people." Kid walked to the door and gestured for Chrona to follow. As she fidgeted, she reluctantly followed the boy out into a corner of the reference section. Kid checked to see if anyone was coming then sighed. He really shouldn't confuse the probationary student by giving her reasons to doubt his father, but he needed the help. Besides, if his father was innocent, the investigation could shatter any doubts Chrona herself might have. "As you know," Kid whispered, "my father has been collecting magical tools." Chrona nodded. "I recently found that my father knew who created them, but I don't know why."

"Didn't he tell you why when he told you he was involved?" Chrona asked innocently, Kid could only sigh in response.

"That's just it, he didn't tell me. I wasn't supposed to find out about it." Kid hung his head. "I have no idea what the magic tools were made for or why. I can't ask any of the Death Scythes, that's why I need you."

"Me!" Chrona gasped, "But I don't know anything about Shibusen. You know more about Shinigami-sama then me."

"I know that, but I need your help investigating. You are the only person I can trust." Chrona backed into the wall, shaking her head.

"I can't. I don't know how to deal with investigations!" She flinched.

"Alright." Chrona opened her eyes confused.

"…What, that's it?"

"It's your decision to make. I could always use your help though." Putting his hands in his pockets, Kid began to walk away.

"What do you think you're doing idiot." Ragnarok hissed. "That kid is Shinigami's son."

"I know that." Chrona squeaked. Ragnarok stared at her expectantly, and then hit her when she said nothing.

"So, finish asking him for a different room! He just begged you for help; you could use that as leverage!"

"B-but I don't want to black mail Shinigami-kun!"

"Go get his help or I'll…" Ragnarok reached for the hem of Chrona's skirt.

"No! Don't! I'll ask." She dashed down the hall to catch up with the Shinigami. "Shinigami-kun!" Kid turned around. "If I help you investigate, if... Will you be able to help me?" Kid thought a moment.

"Deal."


	3. But the Tools are Magical

It was lunchtime at Shibusen. It was always a chaotic time at the school, one that threaten to drown the more introverted miesters. Various students rushed about, shouting at the top of their lungs about their latest mission or conquest. Chrona herself, found she was no closer in her personal mission of finding a new place of residence. It was nice that Kid was willing to hear her request, with nary a judgmental look. Instead, he too seem perturbed that the dungeons deep within the school had signs of use.

"I see." Kid concluded as he walked to the cafeteria with Chrona. "I don't know who could have been in your room before you. As far as I know you're the first guest we've had." He didn't want to think too hard about what might have been down there.

"Oh." Chrona didn't want to seem ungrateful, but she couldn't help but slouch at the notion that nothing would change. Even a little information might have eased the gnawing feeling that something might be lurking in the shadows of her cell. She could feel Kid staring at her, which only made her curl in on herself further. The long silence between them was only further punctuated by roar of the lunch-room. 

"Who knows, it could have been Black Star." Kid tried to offer the most reasonable, and non-threatening explanation that he could. 

"Why would he be in my room!" Chrona fretted. Her friend Maka had told her there was a ninja in her group of friends, but she never wanted to become his next target. Imagining the easily excitable warrior hiding around a corner was enough to make the poor girl hyperventilate. Logically, she knew that he meant no harm, but his overly friendly actions were deeply upsetting to the pink-haired miester. Kid shook his head.

"He used to come here to train on the steps when he was younger. It could be that he played in the rooms of the school as well." She let out a sigh of relief as they walked toward their respective tables. "Library. After school." Kid reminded before sitting with Liz and Patty.

"Chrona!" Maka called. "Over here." Maka was a chipper, blonde with a pale haired scythe as a partner. Easily the smartest kid in school, Maka was determined to be the youngest student to create a weapon for Lord Death. It was a shock that she had chosen such an under achieving weapon like Soul to be her partner. The only thing he worked hard at was the illusion that nothing interested him. Perhaps it was a form of self defense? If he acted like the coolest kid in school, maybe then no one would focus on his jagged, drool producing under-bite.

Chrona sat next to them and across from their two friends Black Star and Tsubaki. Tsubaki was the kindest multi use weapon Chrona had ever met, her sweet personality made it easy for her to be partnered with the loud mouthed ninja. She was one of the few people taller than Chrona, with long whip-like black hair. By contrast, Black Star's was the shortest of the group. He often over compensated with a personality that demanded to be the center of attention, as if blue hair and tattooed arms weren't enough.

Maka looked over her shoulder at Kid as he sat down with his partners.

"What was that all about?" Maka asked, all too interested in her introverted friend's blossoming social life. Chrona bit her lip, not sure what Kid wanted to keep secret about their encounters. If she told them the wrong thing, Kid might stop trusting her. The only problem was, she wasn't quite sure what the 'wrong thing' might be.

"I…Um-" Chrona stuttered. She was saved by her own weapon partner, who seemed to only appear when Chrona felt the most distressed. Her friends had long since grown accustomed to the weapons emerging from her back without any notice.

"She was just pestering Stripes about getting a new room." Ragnarok supplied lazily. 

"Oh, o.k. then." Maka eyed the weapon carefully. She never could trust if the demon sword had Chrona's best interest at heart. "Well if that's all then maybe you can come over to our place to study for the upcoming test after school." Everyone rolled their eyes. Despite a major exam coming, no one wanted to think about school. With daily battles and a god of madness on the loose, studying seemed impossibly mundane. 

"…after school?" Chrona muttered. For once, she had plans. "I can't!"

"Hunh? Why not?" Maka asked.

"Uh… Kid said he was going to help me with a… a project!" Chrona exclaimed. "Yeah! A project! To catch up with the rest of the class! Kid suggested that I should learn how to resonant with other people like the other students did." It did seem that everyone else her age was able to synchronize their wave lengths with at least one other person. The concept was almost completely foreign to her, having been forced to partner with Ragnarok since they were young. Fighting was a necessity form them, not something that helped strengthen their bonds with the people around them.

"I thought you didn't know how to deal with Kid?" Soul asked with mild interest. Chrona froze, she suddenly became aware of the others' stares. She began to fiddle with the folds in her dress to alleviate the stress.

"Well Maka said I should learn how to deal with more people." She bite her lip. "So I thought I could do it one person at a time?" Lying wasn't Chrona's strong suit, so instead she did her best to produce vague truths in answer to their questions.

"O.k. then." Maka chirped. With a sigh of relief, Crona poked at the food in her lunch box. Truth be told, she still didn't know how to deal with him. It was strange, meeting Maka was the closest thing to Soul Resonance that Chrona had experience. It was as if they had known each other before, perhaps they had passed each other on the street or something. When they became friends, nothing in the world made more sense, and it filled her with a warm sense of comfort. If Lord Death had permitted it, she probably would have been staying with her and Soul.

When she met Kid however, she was terrified. Medusa had said that Shinigami were soulless monsters that hunted down witches and ate their souls. All it took was a glimpse of his soul wrapped in incomplete stripes to see he was a budding Shingami; a powerful one at that. One who wanted to defeat her at all costs and bring her mission to an end permanently. There was an underlying blood lust he had that had shook her to her core. She could only assume he was a boy who had killed many like her before. That was the soul she had expected to see when she joined their school.

Instead, Kid had approached her with an awkward kindness neither of them knew what to do with. His wave length was negative, yes, but it held the same warm familiarity that she had felt with Maka. That was what scared her the more than anything.

"You know," Maka said through a mouthful of food. "If you're going to resonance with another person you should first study souls." The bookish blonde was still trying to encourage her friends to share her enjoyment of learning. It was a pattern that brought Chrona comfort.

"Won't she just end up further behind?" Tsubaki asked.

"Actually, if she doesn't, she'll probably fail the class." Maka shook her head sagely. 

"What! I don't want to fail!" Chrona pouted.

"That's why you have to start with the basics." The blonde smiled and gently held Chrona's hand. "If you jump to the end of a lesson without knowing the beginning, any information you gain will be confusing."

"Oh, I see." Chrona nodded.

"So instead of jumping right into resonating, you should review phasmology." Or before studying Shinigami-sama's involvement with the magical tools, study the tools themselves.

"Thanks Maka, that helped me a lot." Chrona beamed. She felt her blood boil as Ragnarok's mood soured.

"What!" Ragnarok cried. "You thank her immediately for that?"

"Why does that bother you?" Chrona asked. Her partner paused.

"Nothing… Now give me some food!" He growled.

* * *

Kid sat in the corner table of the library while he drummed his fingers on the wood surface. He had finally gotten Chrona's help, but with what? He had hoped to ask her about the witches' role in making the magical tools, but he didn't want to scare her off.

A small cough alerted him to the presence of another person. As he glanced up, he smiled at the girl who had found him among the shadowed shelves of books.

"Chrona, you made it!" He said. Chrona nodded shyly and sunk into the chair opposite of Kid. She picked at the grooves in the wood of the table, thinking of what to say. Finally, she looked up.

"How much did you know before you asked for my help?" Chrona stuttered.

"Magical tools are dangerous items that were built by my father and the wizard Eibon. The demon that guarded it said my father helped make them in the first place. I can't fathom the reason he would be involved in something so dangerous." The whole thing was giving Kid a stress headache. 

"I meant a-about the magical tools, specifically." Chrona clarified in a soft voice. The Shinigami's features softened.

"Hunh?"

"Like, do you know anything about the magical tools?" Kid stared at her in silence. "Ah! I didn't mean to insult you, but if we don't know what the tools are for, how do we know Shinigami-sama is doing something suspicious? The demon you ran into could have been misusing them and making them do bad things. If they originally were built for something silly, like a toaster, then we'd feel silly for worrying about him being… but that in itself is silly- But still we should double check... and I… I'll just stop talking… now." Chrona hid her face behind her hands. She had never rambled so long in front of someone without a weapon in hand. And he was laughing at her too, there was no way he'd want her help now. Her actions sobered Kid's laughter as he waved a dismissive hand.

"I'm sorry." He said. "I'm just relieved is all. I never considered that the tools were for something innocent." But it certainly matched up with the image of the father Kid had grown up with. Chrona relaxed a little, peaking at him through her fingers. "There may be some books that reference the tools here, searching for them will be quite the daunting task. Would you be able to help me look." Chrona nodded, though she was still unsure of how much help she could be.

They managed to find sections about the magic tools in six different books. However the books were extremely thick, the smallest over three-hundred pages. As the candles burned down to an inch of wax, the librarian corralled them toward the exit. Books in hand, the pair walked down the empty corridor towards Chrona's room under Kid's suggestion. He assumed that, even with Chrona on probation, no one would find her borrowing books on witches to be suspicious. 

"Thank you again Chrona."

"No problem." She said as she adjusted her half of the texts. "I don't mind lending you the space; I have lots of spare room, and technically it's not even 'my' room."

"It's just that I don't want Liz and Patty to find the books. It would just open up too many conversations I'm not quite ready to have with them." Chrona nodded in agreement. "As much as I'm sure they'd love to help, their idea of investigating might pose more trouble for us." During their last exams, Patty had scored the highest out of all of them, with a drawing of a giraffe. He hated to think of what she'd do to a priceless reference book.

"Ragnarok, could you open the door for me?" The weapon had been surprisingly silent the entire outing, and Chrona feared he might be holding a grudge. Still, her arms were full and she doubted Kid would want to risk touching the floor with his bare hands.

"And why should I do that?" Ragnarok huffed. "Is it my fault that you spent three hours in a boring library looking for heavy books to carry? No! I-"

"Please?" Chrona's arms burned from carrying the books down four flights of stairs. Ragnarok froze mid rant and sighed.

"Fine." He pushed the metal door open.

"Thank you." She said as she entered the room.

"HOLY CRAP!" Ragnarok clapped his hand to his forehead. "Hell has froze over! My little Chrona just thanked me without prompting! Did you hear that Stripes?" The blob turned to see Kid frozen in the door way. "Stripes, You alright?" Kid's face was pale, his hands fell limp and the tomes fell to the floor. 'Oh my god.' He mouthed as he took a step back.

"Shingami-kun, what's wrong?" Chrona asked. She set the books down and rushed to his side.

"Just look at this place! I have never seen something so… so horrible! The bed is forced against the left side of the room, there's only one dresser and THAT!" He exclaimed, and pointed to the worn desk in the corner. "That table has a stain in the lower left corner!" He turned to Chrona. "You have completely understated the severity of your situation." He bowed to her. "And then he had the nerve to bolt down the furniture. Taunting bolts!" He walked over the sink, prepared to contact his father about the matter.

"Maybe we should put the books somewhere else, somewhere you'd be more comfortable." Chrona suggested. Maka had told her before that Kid had issues if things weren't perfectly symmetrical. It was part of the reason he detested that the three stripes through his bangs.

"No, this room is perfect." Kid said hollowly as he stared at his dim reflection.

"But earlier-"

"This is the only room in the school that doesn't have a mirror." He turned to face Chrona and gestured to what she had previously thought to be a dingy mirror. Sweat dripped down his forehead as he forced a smile. "The 'mirror' you have is just reflective metal, not even a polished piece at that. I wouldn't be able use it to contact my father, which means he can't see us when we're in here" Kid's knees shook as he tried to maintain his composure. The last thing he needed was for his disorder to scare her off. Chrona didn't know what she could do to calm him down, so she guided him out to hallway where he had been comfortable before. He breathed a sigh of relief and picked up the discarded books. "Sorry, I was just unprepared for... that. Tomorrow I'll be able to properly brace myself."

"T-tomorrow?" Chrona asked as she took the books from his hands. Kid nodded, meticulously straightening every button on his jacket. 

"Yes, we can start going through the books tomorrow after my mission." Chrona nodded in response and shyly waved as he walked down the hall. She hauled the books into her room and closed the door.

"He's coming back." She whispered, a puzzled frown crept on her face only to be drowned in a wave of panic "What am I going to tell Maka?"

* * *

Sure enough, Maka had tried to invite her to multiple outings through out the weeks. Most of the time, they landed on days she had already agreed to help Kid. She felt bad ghosting on her friend, especially since Maka was trying to help her in her own way. Still, Maka's ideas of fun was trying new things, new things made Chrona anxious. She found she was growing to prefer hunkering down in her room with a Kid and a few books.

Ragnarok refused to help her lie to the person that gave him candy, so Chrona was left to fend for herself.

"Another study session?" Maka asked in disbelief. "Chrona that's the twelfth one in a row!" It was true; Chrona had been working hard with Kid to solve the mystery of the magic tools. The tools seemed to be amplifiers for the soul, each with their own unique abilities. Of course she couldn't tell Maka that. Kid had made it clear that on one other than her was to know about the research. It was a shame, with as much as Maka loved reading, Chrona assumed she would be the best person to help them.

"Well I still have a lot of catching up to do." Chrona said. She looked down to the floor, unable to meet Maka's gaze. It hurt that she could lie to Maka so easily now.

"Still, you need to have fun once in a while." More than disappointed, Maka looked worried. And to hear the studious miester suggest _not_ studying was mildly disturbing.

"I'm sorry Maka, we can go to the movies a different day." Chrona bowed and rushed off before Maka could object. She was becoming nosier about what Chrona had been doing during her studies. She didn't know how long she could keep this up.

* * *

That evening Kid knocked on the door to Chrona's room, and braced himself for the impending asymmetry. It had taken him a while, but finally he could tolerate the dusty cell. The immobile furniture bothered him, but he had put up with it for the sake of their research. Besides, he had a nice symmetrical room to return to at the end of the day; Chrona just had to bear with it until he could find a way to his father to move her without arousing suspicion. It didn't make it any easier, especially with his fits causing the pink haired miester to fret over him.

Chrona opened the door and let the young Shinigami in. She frowned as he slumped to the floor near the open books.

"Shinigami-kun, are you alright? We can go to the library if you want." Chrona suggested. Kid meekly shook his head.

"I'm fine." He dismissed. "Let's get to work." Kid struggled to read the font on the page before him. His body ached all over from exhaustion. His father had been giving him more missions as of late. Today he had to complete two hunts back to back. This wouldn't have been a problem if he went straight home afterward, but he had to find out what his father was up to. So instead of going home he told his partners that he had an errand to run and would be back in a few hours. At first Liz had objected to Kid being out at eleven in the morning, but soon gave up the fight. 

What kept him going was the progress they'd made. Just as Chrona suggested, the tool Kid intially found wasn't malicious in nature. All the tools seemed to contain similar properties to boost the power of one's soul. One could double the power of a person's wavelength, another gave artificial soul perception; but one in particular had caught his eye. The brew; a magic tool said to have accidentally gained a dual property. The tool was designed to amplify the other magic tools, but it also could amplify the magic in a person's soul. It could unlock in humans abilities only know to witches. In a witch's hands, it could drive the user mad with power.

"Shini-kun?" Chrona asked as Kid once again slumped with exhaustion. "Shini-kun are you alright?"

"Hmm?" Kid murmured as he sluggishly turned to face the girl. "What did you say?"

"I asked if you're alright, you don't look so good." Kid shook his head and leaned against the wall behind them, and almost missing the stone.

"No, before that." He mumbled, rubbing his eyes.

"Umm-"

"You called me something." His eye lids drooped as he fought sleep.

"Oh, that!" Chrona exclaimed, "Maka said that when people know each other a long time, they call each other by their first name and since we've been working together I thought it was O.K. to call you by your first name-" Kid's head lolled to the side and rested on her shoulder.

"I don't mind." He said softly, his eyes fell closed. Chrona sat ridged, face flushed, and looked down to the dark haired boy. She sighed and slowly relaxed under the weight. She brushed some stray hairs from his face. It was strange to see him completely calm like this. His breath tickled at her neck and she couldn't help but let out a little smile.

"Poor Shini-kun," She sighed, "you've been working so hard." Moaning softly, Kid shifted to curl up closer to her. Drowsy herself, Chrona leaned gently against Kid.

"You know, it's dangerous to trust a Shinigami like this." Ragnarok warned. Chrona chose to curl closer to Kid.

"I know." She murmured. Ragnarok sighed and pulled the sheet off of the bed. He draped the cotton around the two with a shake of his head.

"Just don't get yourself hurt." He said and receded into her back.


	4. Stripes

**_Kid squinted as bright light suddenly surrounded him, despite his blurred vision he could make out a few details in the room. A chandelier hung above him, bathing his body in white light. Behind him a stark black cauldron, perhaps iron, lay in the center of the room. Each blur to his left was mirrored on the right. Even the bookcase seemed neatly organized, though he couldn't quiet tell._ **

**_Someone grasped his shoulders which made him look up at the blinding silhouette before him. The white blur knelt to his level._ **

**_"Oh~ oh my." A female voice gasped. "Just look at you!" He tried desperately to read the expression of the woman, but his vision refused to clear.  
_ **

**_"Is something wrong?" He asked. His words felt awkward on his tongue and escaped his throat with a childish pitch. The woman's arms wrapped around him in a warm hug; the soft fabric of her dress tickled at his cheek._ **

**_"No, I couldn't be happier." She professed. He could feel tears begin to trickle down his back._ **

Kid woke with a start, immediately his gaze fell to the wall in front of him. His heart beat ferociously against his chest as he glanced around the asymmetrical room. As his hands strangled his hair, his chest heave. The noise woke Chrona abruptly, she looked up at Kid who was rocking slowly as he bit his bottom lip.

"Shini-kun?" She asked tentatively. Her hand trembled as she lightly rested it on his shoulder. Kid was so focused on his breathing that he forgot she was there. He relaxed a little. Memories of what had taken place the previous night flooded back. "Shini-kun, you're shaking!"

"I'm sorry, I must have frightened you." He apologized. His eyes drifted away from her and began to scrutinize the room once more. She stood and offered a hand to him. While they walked out of the room, Kid felt relief flood over him as he was once more surrounded by beautiful symmetry. He frowned as he felt something touch his shirt."Chrona, what are you doing?" He asked when he noticed the girl was futzing with his clothes.

"Ah!" She blushed and immediately released the hold she had on his clothes. "You're shirt got rumpled and it was bothering me." She lowered her gaze, but not before straightening his tie clip. "School's about to start so…"

"Right!" Kid shouted, a little louder than he had anticipated. After a pregnant pause Kid bowed shallowly. "Er- see you later." Chrona nodded and watched Kid sprint down the hall.

"What was that?" Ragnarok demanded as he smacked her on the head.

"What was what?" She rubbed the top of her head with a frown. How many times did she have to tell him they shared a body, but not a brain. It was impossible for her to understand what he was thinking.

"You know what I mean. Stop it or I'll steal your bed sheets!" Ragnarok threatened.

"I don't know what I did~" She whined. Her partner silenced her with another smack to the head. "F-fine, I promise."

* * *

He should have know returning to class that morning would cause a scene.

"KID!" Liz shouted, and ran across the class room. She enveloped her miester in a tight embrace. "Where were you last night? You had us worried sick!" Chrona was the only person who lived at the school and it was uncommon for anyone to stay at the school over night. Especially for people like Kid, who had a mansion in the city.

"Yeah." Patty smirked with a shake of her finger. "Explain yourself mister." At least Patty trusted him enough to go out on his own.

"…Liz…I can't…breathe." Kid choked out. Liz immediately released the suffocating Shinigami. "I'm sorry I didn't call. I don't have an adequate excuse." It seemed Liz still thought of him as a defenseless trust-fund kid. He wished she'd remember he was a demi-god of sorts. Having weapons as partners was more of a family tradition than a necessity. He did feel guilty for making the two worry. Normally, he wouldn't go anywhere without them. Other students filtered into the classroom as Kid caught his breath.

"What's going on?" Maka asked. This wasn't a conversation he wanted to have in front of his other friends. Why hadn't he woken up sooner?

"Kid's been missing since his mission yesterday and now he's shown up for class." Black Star added casually. Everyone turned to look at the assassin inquisitively. "What?"

"How did you know that?" Liz asked with her arms crossed.

"Hello, I'M A GOD!" Black Star pounded his chest with pride. No one took the ninja seriously though and his best friend could only laugh.

"Patty told us this morning." Soul whispered to Maka.

"Anyway," Liz dismissed, "where were you?"

"Liz, can we please talk about this later." Kid could feel everyone in the room staring at him. He wished he could just crawl into a hole and disappear.

"Yeah and you're hair's all messy." Patty commented. Liz had tried to stop her, but it was too late. Kid heard.

"…my hair? What's wrong with my hair!" Kid rushed over to the nearest mirror and stared horrified at his reflection. His hair was now disheveled and flipped to the side at an odd angle. "I'm…hideous." He slumped to the floor, defeated by his own hair.

"Well there he goes." Liz groaned. "I doubt we'll get anything out of him for a while." She went over to talk him out of the fetal position he assumed. It was then that Chrona walked in, having been carefully instructed to not enter the class with Kid. She nearly dropped her morning pastry when she saw her friends gathered around Kid.

"What's going on?" Maka shook her head and sighed.

"Kid's having a symmetry breakdown." Maka explained. Chrona turned to see Kid slumped on the floor going on about how he shouldn't live. She thought back to his panic attack when he woke up that morning and how debilitating it had been for him. Everyone seemed to make light of the situation, but she knew for a fact that if he stayed like that he would spiral into a full panic attack again. She walked over to where Kid lay slumped on the floor.

"Eh, Chrona, what are you doing?" Maka asked. Crouching in front of him, Chrona carefully adjusted the boy's hair back to his liking.

"There," she said gently, "it's symmetrical again." Kid shook his head.

"It's no use." He sobbed. "No madder how hard you try, I will always be an abomination. I'm a worthless piece of thrash that was born a deformed monster. I'm doomed, doomed for failure!" Liz groaned and massaged her temples in response to his antics; it was too early in the morning for this.

"What are you talking about?" Chrona frowned.

"…this." He pointed to the three white stripes that decorated his hair. "This is my curse."

"But without those, you wouldn't be Shini-kun." Chrona said. With those words everyone froze.

"Chrona..." Maka started, almost like a mother before a lecture.

"What, what's wrong?" Chrona asked. Her friends struggled to swallow their laughter.

"Remember when I told you, you only call people-" Maka began.

"But Shinigami-kun said it was alright." Chrona defended.

"Man Kid," Soul chuckled, "you're letting girls call you by pet names now?" Chrona had succeeded in halting the Shingami's depression; unfortunately it had been replaced with overwhelming embarrassment. Perhaps the floor wouldn't be too bad a place to stay.

"Black Star will never let me live this down." Kid conceded. Chrona tugged at her hair, her thin lips formed a delicate frown.

"I'm sorry, I didn't know." She wasn't too fond of getting laughed at either. Perhaps this was why Kid had been so careful to hide what they'd been doing.

* * *

After their friends had, had their fill of teasing, the day was able to proceed. Now that class was over, the two sat at the darkest table in the library. They had already gleamed all useful information from the other four books and were on the last two.

Kid shook his head, the torchlight from the library made his shadow dance on the floor. "No, it's alright. Those two are just immature." Kid consoled. Chrona bit her lip; she didn't want to make Kid uncomfortable in front of the others. She nodded, she wouldn't call him Shini-kun in front of the others anymore; but he would always be Shini-kun to her. After a while Chrona was startled by Kid as he slammed his book shut. "It's no use." He sighed.

"Hunh?" Crona asked. The interruption had torn her from her own research.

"There isn't a single lead on Eibon in any of these." Kid groaned. It couldn't be, he was back on square one! Weeks of searching and all they could come up with was the identity of the magical tools.

"Eibon?" Chrona gasped.

"Yes, he was the one that constructed the magical tools with my father. I found their signatures in the mechanism of the ghost train." Chrona's frown deepened. "Chrona?"

"I don't understand." She mumbled.

"What is it Chrona?" Kid tried to contain his excitement. "Do you know something about Eibon?" Was he finally able to ask Chrona about the wicken world?

"Well when I was younger the older witches would tell us stories while our mothers went to witches' mass." She paused as she tried to recall the tale. "Once upon a time there were two young witches who were very curious about the world around them. They worked very hard to gather as much knowledge about magic as possible. The older witch gathered knowledge about enchantments, familiars, and pure witch craft. She wanted to teach her knowledge to witches all over the world. The younger sister gathered knowledge about sorcery, necromancy, and alchemy; so that witches would know what spells were forbidden. The two taught many witches over the years and watched them grow older and wiser.

"Now this reminded them of their own mortality. So they took a book and filled it with the knowledge they had gathered. Inside they placed a magic spell that would transcribe the knowledge of all who opened the book, so that when they died, the book would still collect spells. They called their creation Eibon.

"Unfortunately there was an error in their spell. When people looked to the tome for information, the spell would receive an imprint of the emotions felt by the reader. This error went unnoticed by the two sisters and they died before the spell could be fixed. Witches began to look to the book in search of a forbidden magic that would save them from death. Their fear and hatred became trapped inside the book and gave the spell a life of its own. The book was labeled as a threat to the balance of the world and was sealed away. Never to be opened again.

"There might have been more, but I've forgotten the rest." Chrona admitted. Kid shook his head; it was just a story, it wasn't true. It couldn't be true! If he acknowledged that there was never a person named Eibon then all of their efforts would be for naught.

"It's might just be a story to frighten children." Kid said. Chrona folded her hands in her lap and averted her eyes to the stone floor. Some help she turned out to be. The two sat in the library, an air of gloom about them. Kid glanced up at Chrona, a small frown plastered on her face. Standing from his seat, Kid tucked his hands in his pockets. "Come on."

"Hmm?" Chrona looked up to meet the shingami's gold rimmed eyes.

"We've been working too hard, let's take a break."


	5. Epiphany

"Hey, look who finally decided to show up." Soul chuckled as Kid and Chrona made their way to the court. Everyone was gathered in the park for a day off from missions and school. It was the first time she had seen everyone so relaxed and out of uniform.

"Chrona, you came to play with us?" Tsubaki asked.

"No," Chrona shook her head, "I don't know how to deal with basketball." She'd never had a chance to learn any kind of hobby, always busy hunting Medusa's chosen target. Transitioning from that life to a normal one had proven excruciatingly difficult. As it was, the thought that this many people wanted to see her outside of required schooling was hard to handle.

"I'm not that good with it either." Maka said as she rushed over to Chrona's side. "Chrona and I will sit this one out; you guys go ahead and play." Maka grabbed Chrona's arm and guided her to a park bench, obviously relieved to be off the court."They were trying to get me to play even though I still don't know the rules." Maka explained as much as she knew about the sport with a half laugh. Even the most capable miester seemed to have her weak points among their peers. Her demeanor turned to one of concern as she looked at her friend.

"Is everything alright?" Maka asked.

"Hunh? I'm perfectly fine." Chrona startled out of her stupor. She was, admittedly under-slept, but this level of fatigue was normal to her. Had she done something to upset her friend on accident? "Why do you ask?" 

"Well you've been working so hard after class, I mean, I've hardly seen you outside of school." It was as if the blond had pointed a spotlight on her. Chrona could feel the beads of sweat gathering on the back of her neck. "Chrona how many units have you covered?"

"Ah! Umm… four. I'm almost caught up. I still have one unit to go." Chrona fibbed as Maka crept into her personal space on the bench. She knew Maka could read soul wavelengths, was it possible she could tell when someone was lying. Chrona looked every where except her friend, hoping to hide her insecurity. Her friend's concern increased.

"Chrona, you know you can always talk to me if something's wrong." Maka said earnestly, placing a hand on Chrona's. Something was bothering her; Maka knew it, the way Chrona fidgeted gave it away.

"Really Maka, I'm fine." She lied. "I've just been busy with school work." Another lie.

"Chrona-" Maka started, but was cut off by Chrona's nervous laughter.

"My, they look like their having fun out there. I think I'll go join them." She stood abruptly and rushed to the court in robotic-like steps; eager to avoid her current interrogation. Doubt clouded Maka's mind as Chrona traded places with Tsubaki on the court. The blonde crossed here arms when Tsubaki sat down.

"What was that about?" Tsubaki asked casually. 

"Chrona's hiding something." Maka scowled, deep in concentration. "I asked how many units she still had cover and she said four. Normally I wouldn't interrogate her like that, but she's been acting so strange." In Tsubaki's eyes, Chrona had always seemed a little strange, but she could understand that the girl needed much more space than most of their friends would allow. Unfortunately, Maka wasn't the type to let go of a mystery with a simple explanation.

"Maka, I don't see what's so suspicious about that." Tsubaki attempted to steer her friend away from fixating on the poor girl's personal life. 

"But Tsubaki, she said she still has one more to catch up on, were just finishing unit three." Maka threw her head in her hands. "I just don't know what to do!" There really wasn't anything they could do. 

"Maka, Chrona's been out of her comfort zone for a long time now. It's stressful to constantly be surrounded with new experiences." She understood that much, growing up in an insular home herself. "She might just want some time to herself without seeming ungrateful."

"I guess." Maka bit her lip, unconvinced. She wanted to be there for her friend and know what she was going through so she could fix everything. But she could feel Chrona shutting her out and it was, disheartening. How was she supposed to become better friends with someone who was avoiding her. At this point, she felt like she was the one being a nuisance. "If I could just-"

"Chrona look out!" Soul shouted from the court. Maka glanced away from Tsubaki and saw Chrona turn to Soul; only to be smacked in the face with a basketball. The girl fell backwards onto the hard cement.

"CHRONA!" Maka jumped to her feet and ran. Kid had beat her to the punch, already on his knees checking for any injuries. She wasn't moving, a thin trickle of black blood coming from her nose.

"What the hell you guys!?" Kid shouted at Soul and Black Star. They hovered around her with Patty and Liz, unsure of what to do other than watch.

"I told her to watch out." Soul sighed as the others muttered among themselves. "How was I supposed to know that she would turn towards the ball?"

"Well of course she's going to turn to the moron shouting to get her attention!" Kid groaned. Maka pushed passed and joined Chrona at her other side.

"Seriously Soul that was an epic fail." Black Star said sagely.

"You're one to talk; you threw the ball at her!" Soul shot back.

"She'll be fine." Black Star waved him off. 

"Come on Chrona wake up." Kid said, gently shaking her shoulders.

"Or not." Black Star corrected. He could feel everyone staring at him.

"You knocked her unconscious!" Maka shot back up to her feet to scold him.

"We need to get Chrona to Nygus." Kid suggested.

"Right." Maka agreed. "I'll get you for this later!" She shouted as she helped Kid carry Chrona.

"Man you're going to be in for it." Soul whispered to Black Star with a smirk.

"So are you Soul!" Maka threatened from across the court.

* * *

When Crona finally awoke, it was due to Ragnarok's incessant poking. She stirred and slowly sat up in an unfamiliar place. From the white walls and stiff cot, she assumed it was the nurse's office. She recalled her mother complaining about this room many times over while she'd been undercover.

"Thank goodness you're up!" Ragnarok gasped. "I came out to tell them you were fine and the next thing I know I'm squished under your giant, empty head!" As Ragnarok ranted, he smacked her repeatedly on the back of her head with his pudgy arms. Normally it would have been annoying, but this time it really hurt. She whimpered, pushing his hand away a feeling a hot bruise on the back of her skull.

"What happened?" She asked. The blob stared at, no longer resisting and sighed.

"Damn you're clueless. You got hit in the face with a basketball and everyone freaked out." She nodded mutely, slowly piecing together what had happened on the court. Kid had used his jacket as a pillow for her when she didn't wake up right away. And Maka... Maka had been livid. She should find them and let them know she was okay, mostly. "Maybe you shouldn't work with the shinigami today."

"I can't stop because of an accident!" Chrona protested. "He still needs my help." 

"Does he really?" Ragnarok asked darkly. Why was he suddenly concerned about her now? Their whole lives, he'd been pushing her to get stronger so both of them could survive as Medusa's tool. Now that they were free, he got to laze about all day and eat as much food as he wanted. There shouldn't be any reason for him to care about her passed that. However, she could tell something about her research had really bothered him.

"Of course he does, he asked me to help him himself." Chrona reasoned meekly. Working together the past few days had been a lot of fun. Whenever they finished, they'd quietly enjoy each others company or grab a small snack. It had become surprisingly easy to hang out with him, as long as the two were alone.

"That was two weeks ago, he probably doesn't need your help anymore." Ragnarok hadn't been this angry since he was forced to give up the souls they had gathered over the last decade. 

"But he said-"

"Think about it Chrona! That look in his eyes when you said you knew something about Eibon. He's using you!" She refused to let her partner tear apart the friendship she had so carefully pursued. For once, they shouldn't have to worry about who they could trust. These people were good people, they'd keep them safe.

"No, he would never do something like that." Chrona said on the verge of tears.

"How can you be so sure? You hardly know him Chrona." He was right, she hated that he was right. "He's a shinigami, the moment he finds out you know nothing about Eibon he'll throw you away!" 

"I don't know how to deal with being abandoned." Chrona sniffled.

"Then do something about it! You always do this, Chrona. If you don't get off your ass and do something, he'll find someone else who will!" Lose Kid? She held her face in her hands and let silent tears make patterns on her dress. She didn't want to lose him. For the first time she felt wanted, no, needed and now it was slipping through her fingers. "What you need to do is get out of this situation before you end up hurt or worse."

"I want to help him." She choked out. For once, he wasn't stronger than her. He couldn't hijack her body anymore, couldn't use his wavelength to suppress her feelings. She was going to do this, whether he wanted her to or not.

"Fine, help him, see if I care." Ragnarok crossed his arms. Chrona looked up at her partner with blood shot eyes.

"But you said-"

"I don't care what choice you make. But you better not half ass it." He balled his hand into a fist. "Whatever decision you make, you better stick with it." He smacked her on the top of her head. "I don't want to see you crying again unless it's because of me."

"Okay." Chrona nodded. In order to make sure Kid needed her help, she would have to find more information about witches. Shinigami-sama wouldn't have many books about wicken society, and she didn't know anything about their history either. If only she had access to Medusa's books. She could go back to the lab and get them, but Medusa destroyed the lab while she still worked at Shibusen. She stood from the bed.

"I should let everyone know I'm okay." She mumbled, still deep in thought, her foot snagged on something near the nurse's desk. "OW!" She stumbled forward and gripped the table to keep her balance. She glanced down to see what it was she caught her foot on. "A book?" she mused. She would have asked Ragnarok about it, but she could tell he was still mad at her.The book she had tripped on was propping up a broken leg of the desk. Kneeling on the floor, Chrona read the spine of the book. She carefully pulled the book from under the desk and flipped through the pages.

"Oh my- THIS IS IT!" Chrona squealed as she ran out of the room, book in hand. Poor Nygus would later return to a lopsided desk.

* * *

Kid had grudgingly gone on another mission while everyone waited for her to recover. When he returned, however, he found Chrona awake and waiting for him on the steps of Shibusen like a child on Christmas morning. The moment he set foot on the ground Chrona had a hold on him and pulled him into the school.

"Chrona, what's the rush?" Kid asked. She pulled him down into the dungeon hall. "Chrona!" The girl stopped and turned to the shinigami, a tarnished red book in hand.

"I found something about Eibon!" She gave handed him a grimy, blank covered book. "It's one of Medusa's! She was using it to prop up a broken desk and must have forgotten about it."

"The Fall of Salem?" Kid read, tracing the spine with his fingers. He glanced up and gave Chrona an inquisitive look.

"On page eighteen." Chrona pointed, brimming with excitement. Kid opened the book and searched for the passage she was referring to. Chrona watched him with anticipation.

"...the practice of magic was banned to avoid further attacks on human lives. As a result, a negative stigma was placed on witches as a whole. Those who were caught using witchcraft were threatened, harassed and sometimes banished. Witches began to blend in with humans to avoid persecution and swore to give up magic all together." He knew most of this already, but Chrona insisted he continued.

"The desire for magic was not heeded by simple laws. Witches would congregate once a week for an event known as witches mass. Here, those who practiced magic would go by pseudo names to protect their identity. There were even those who would use their false identities to sell enchanted items to humans. The best example of this was Iroha, known among humans as the witch doctor… Eibon." Kid looked up at Chrona.

"There's a bit on the magic tools," Chrona bit her lip, "but it's mostly about the Salem Witch Trials." The trials had marked the beginning of humans hunting witches for sport. A massacre of innocent witches, spurring a retaliation against death that still knew no end. She hoped the little information it had related to the magic tools would be enough to keep their investigation going.

"Chrona, do you know what this means?" Kid said with realization. "The reason we can't find anything on Eibon is because Eibon didn't really exist!"

"Is that a good thing, right?" Chrona asked, trying not to sound too hopeful.

"Good? This is great! We finally have a lead! Who knows how many books are on this Iroha person!" Kid paused. "It sounds familiar, I just can't place where I've heard it before." He had hundreds of years of private schooling under his belt, some things were bound to be forgotten. "Anyway, we should get started immediately after school tomorrow." He returned the book to Chrona and began to walk away.

"Tomorrow?" Chrona couldn't help but feel disheartened. All that work and they had barely talked for a few minutes.

"You do need to rest, don't you?" Kid smiled at her and chuckled good-naturedly. She blushed, feeling silly for fretting. Still, if there was anything that could be done.

"You don't have to worry about me," Chrona insisted, "I could still work." They were both exhausted, and Kid refused to budge on the matter. Though, he argued much more gently than Ragnarok had. 

"Even still you need you rest." He fumbled with his hands, uncertain what was the correct way to say goodbye. He settled for giving her should a gentle squeeze, before turning around. "See you tomorrow Chrona."

"Yeah, tomorrow." Even though he was walking away Chrona couldn't help but smile.

* * *

Rushed footsteps echoed throughout the dark halls of Baba Yaga Castle. A masked figure burst through the double doors of a large, deserted chamber. The spark of activity stirred dust into the air, and reflected what little light came in through the door way. 

"Arachne-sama!" The figure called. High above the man, a woman in black sat on the delicate threads of a spider's web. She opened one silver lined eye to observe the messenger. Taking a sip of wine, the woman opened her fan to hide her annoyance. Every second of this exchange broke the protocol she had carefully crafted in her organization.

"What is it?" She asked in an even tone.

"There is a person here to see you. She claims to be your sister." Arachne froze. "Arachne-sama?" Both of her sisters should have been dead by now, and neither were particularly pleasant to deal with. Still, she herself was considered dead, so anything was possible. Especially among witches in the Gorgon family. She carefully adjusted her hair, the familiar flame of rivalry reigniting in her chest. 

"Let her in." Arachne said coolly. The servant bowed and opened the door to the chamber. A young girl, about the age of eight, with fair hair and a plain black dress was escorted into the room. The cold stone floor nipped at the girl's bare feet and she wore a deceptively sweet smile. "Hello Medusa." Arachne glowered down at her middle sister. Of course the biggest thorn in her side was the one to evade Lord Death in his own home.

"It's so good to see you again Arachne, I can see the years have treated you well." Every sweet word dripped with an underlying sarcasm.

Unlike Medusa, Arachne had no need to borrow a child's body to stay alive. Like the witches of old, her magic was strong enough to allow her to shape shift back into her human form without any side effects. In fact, it was so powerful, she had to split herself into millions of spiders just to go into hiding. Even now, she hadn't fully reassembled, for fear that Lord Death would catch wind of her plans. With the Kishen back in the world, it would be easier for her to go unnoticed.

"What do you want?" Arachne asked. Her hold on her fan tightened. Her weak little sister had always envied her for her magic. She was not particularly interested in hearing Medusa's half baked attempts to steal her power.

"Whatever do you mean?" Medusa pouted. "Can I not come by and visit my dear sister?" She could bat her child puppet's eyes as much as she wanted, it wouldn't mend their century long feud.

"Last I checked I was a treacherous coward." Arachne hissed.

"My you can certainly hold a grudge." Medusa chuckled, her charade broken. "That was a little over 800 years ago, the world's moved on since then. Though I see you haven't."

"What do you want?" Arachne snapped her fan shut, baring her resentment on her sleeve.

"My, my, impatient as ever." Medusa scolded. "Haven't you guessed why I'm here? I know you've been keeping an eye on me, as well as others." Medusa eyed the tiny spiders that made the chamber their how with disgust. Arachne calmed herself with the knowledge she had gained the upper hand.

"Perhaps an arrangement could be made?" Arachne opened her hand as if offering aid. "A simple trade perhaps?"

"A trade?" Medusa probed with caution.

"Yes. I'll tell you the location of your daughter in exchange for my son." Arachne beamed as her sister went pale. 

"You know I can't do that!" Medusa growled.

"Then I can't help you." Arachne sighed in sing-song. Yes, she knew exactly where Chrona had run off too without lifting a finger. Having the young girl in Shinigami-sama's possession was Medusa's worst nightmare and Arachne reveled in it.

"How can you say that, she's your niece!" 

"He's your nephew." Arachne glowered with icy vengeance. "Think of it as a thank you, for stealing my son."

"You were being hunted down by Shingami-sama and Maba!" Medusa could still remember how pale and feral he had been. No one wanted to be caught harboring the first demon weapon that could kill a witch."If I hadn't come along Ragnarok would have died on the streets! He's better off with me then a traitor like you!"

"And Chrona's better off without you. You honestly think you're better than me?" Arachne scoffed. "I created other demon weapons so my son wouldn't be an outcast! But you? You tried to turn your daughter into a monster." 

"I have my reasons." Medusa shouted. "I will find her again with or without your help." She turned and stormed out of the room. Before the Kishin's release, Arachne had been trapped in her spiders, helpless to do anything without Shinigami taking notice. Assuming Medusa would care for her son any better was her biggest regret.

"No one in their right mind would help you." Arachne whispered to the empty room.


	6. A Bargin

Maka ran down the halls of Shibusen, desperate to find her pink haired friend. The blonde was just about at her wit's end with the mysterious activities her friend had been partaking in. She could take Chrona's lies about studying; she could even deal with her occasional disappearances at lunch, but skipping class! She caught sight of the girl running down the hall.

"Chrona!" Maka called. Chrona flinched, looking for a hall to disappear down or a corner to hide in. However, her blond friend was already within arm's reach.

"Maka! What are you doing here?" She shivered, more self aware than ever, the way Maka was staring her down made her feel like she was in trouble. The burning hearth her anxiety lit in her belly was fueled further at the thought of disappointing multiple people with her clumsy mistake.

"What am I doing here?" Maka asked incredulously, "What are you doing here? Class has started and you're all the way over-" She paused, noticing the hall pass clutched tightly in Chrona's hands.

"I have a mission, but..." Her shoulder's slumped. "I can't find Lord Death's chambers, and Ragnarok won't tell me where to go." She had been wandering the hall in circles for ten minutes. As much as she wanted to keep Maka away from her and Kid's activities, she was thankful to run into someone she knew. "Do you think you could..." After all the secrets, would Maka even want to help her anymore?

"Of course." Maka sighed with relief. She gently took the miester's other hand and guided her down the right direction. "Are you going on you first solo mission already?" She squeezed Chrona's hand. "That sounds a little scary." After their last duo mission ended in disaster, Maka wasn't terribly surprised she hadn't been asked to take Chrona on anymore missions. The difference in field experience between the two was too imbalanced and she had a habit of going for the more difficult missions.

"N-no, Shinigami-sama's found another partner for me to go with." Chrona hung her head. "I'm... I'm going with Kid. It's supposed to be a really small mission. I'm sorry."

"Hunh?" Maka stared back at her friend in surprise. "Why are you apologizing?"

"I feel bad." She admitted. "You've always been so nice to me, but lately... I don't even know how to explain it." There was so much going on at once now that it was impossible to keep everything from her best friend. "I wish I was more confident, like you. Maybe then it wouldn't be so hard to talk, about this, about everything." They were nearing Lord Death's chambers. "But right now, I don't think I can." She was surprised when Maka hugged her.

"It's okay," she said, "I know I've been really intense lately. I just worry about you." She pulled away with a smile. "When you get back from your mission, we can talk, properly. Or if you're not ready, we can just hang out. Okay?" Chrona nodded with a small smile. "But you gotta go in now, you were running behind, right?"

"Oh no!" Chrona squeaked and bolted inside. Maka watched as the double doors swung shut, a little more at ease. It had been the first time Chrona had been honest with her in a while.

* * *

"Hey, Hey!" Shinigami-sama greeted his son as the two waited for Chrona. "All set for Britain?"

"Yes father." Kid bowed stiffly. He had spent so much time investigating his father's past and had found nothing to quell his suspicions thus far. In fact, the further into the death god's "grim" days he dug, the less flattering his portrayal in history was. Not to mention the ice cold guilt that wracked through his chest every time the elder shinigami smiled at him or gave praise.

At the death god's side, stood his main Death Scythe, the viewing mirror between them. Spirit was a powerful weapon, but that was about it. The red headed man was considered a failure as a father by his own daughter thanks to his cavalier atitude toward daily responsibilities. Kid could understand why Maka found him off putting, but he knew the man possessed a lot of love for his daugther and her classmates.

"Sorry I'm late!" Chrona announced as she entered the room. "I didn't know I needed a hall pass, and then I got lost, and-"

"It's alright." Kid nodded. The flustered meister bit her lip and gave the elder death god a curt bow, mimicking Kid's example.

"How ya' doin' Chrona?" Shinigami-sama chuckled. He was comical in appearance, like a sock puppet with a card board mask. Still, Chrona couldn't help feeling afraid of the creature she grew up to percieve as a boogyman of sorts. The very being that had put a bounty on her family's collective heads.

"Umm, I'm fine." Chrona answered.

"Good, good. To be honest, I was a little surprised when Kid asked if he could have some help on this mission. It's only one Kishen egg after all, nothing major." The pair froze. Did he know what they were doing?

"Well it's not Shingami-kun who needs help, it's me." Chrona stuttered. Kid quickly nodded in agreement.

"Yes," Kid continued, "after how Chrona's first mission ended, I figured Chrona could use an easier mission; to get used to how DWMA usually is. We can't expect her to improve if we keep her locked in the school."

"Hmm…" The older shinigami thought. The two miesters shifted uncomfortably under his masked stare. "O.K!" The man chirped. Both felt a wave of relief wash over them, the last thing they needed was a god breathing down their throats. Kid saw the pause in the conversation as a means of escape.

"If that's all, then we must get going." Kid stated. The two made their way out the door. "We'll be back by tomorrow morning at the latest." They hurried out of the room, conspicuous in their rushed exit.

"Goodbye!" Shimigami-sama chimed. The door slammed shut with a thunderous boom. "Spirit, I'm worried about him."

"He'll understand eventually." The Death Scythe chided. He could hardly see why Kid's actions bothered the death god; at least he still talked with his father. One day he would make it up to Maka, but right now she was determined to rebel at every turn. Spirit rested a reassuring hand on the shingami's shoulder. "He's your son after all."

Shinigami-sama frowned beneath his mask. Sometimes he wondered if Kid actually saw him as his father, or if he was just another authoritiy figure to the young demi-god. Even before the incident, he had spent most of his time at the school maintaining the barrier that protected Death City. It had been so difficult to form any sort of bond with the child and now, almost too soon, he was starting to pull away once more.

* * *

The real reason Chrona and Kid ventured to Britain was to get a hold of a book on Iroha from a private collection. So, using the mission as a cover, they made their way into a darkly lit library beneath the city. Chrona lit the torches that surrounded the dank granite room while Kid flipped through a massive directory. Their shadows danced on the floor in the flickering torch light, a musty smell filled the air.

Kid sighed in disgust; the worn, wooden shelves were unlabeled and poorly organized, but it would have to do for now, they needed the book first. Chrona scanned the bottom shelves for any useful material. To her chagrin all of the spines were blank. It was obvious this library was not designed for the public. When she glanced to the table, all she saw was the directory. Kid had moved to the shelves.

Said shingami pulled several books off the top shelf and cast them to the floor in a variety of small piles. He couldn't take it anymore! There was absolutely no order to the library at all! He began to sort the books by size on the top row. Once he got them in order they would be easier to navigate through. If he found the book while sorting, then it would make their job easier.

"Shini-kun,"Chrona asked with growing concern, "what's the title of the book we're looking for?"

"Significant Figures of the Wicken World: Volume 2." Kid answered absentmindedly. He was close to finishing this shelf, only three more to go. Chrona pulled a twine bound novel from the bottom shelf. She stood abruptly only to collide with Kid who was sorting a handful of books. The pair tumbled to the floor in a chaotic heap. Chrona's back hit the stone floor and the books tumbled to the ground around her. When she went to sit up, something blocked her; a firm force had halted her progress. She opened her eyes to see what it was her body was pressed against.

"Shini-kun!?" A dark blush painted across her face. Kid locked eyes with Chrona, his body hunched over hers. He quickly apologized and pulled himself off of her. "I…umm…found the book." Chrona chuckled nervously.

"Right, we should probably head home now." They made their way to the door. Kid spared on glance back into the room, lined wall to wall with untouched shelves.

"The top shelf looks very nice." Chrona said, in vain hope it would be enough to sooth the Shinigami's growing need to organize.

"Thanks." Kid said, a long pause followed as the Shinigami stood transfixed, wringing his hands against each other. "Aggh! But now it looks out of place with the other shelves!" He stormed back in and resumed his sorting. The pink miester's shoulders dropped. She could feel Ragnarok's burning irritation with how long their mission was taking.

"I'll help." Chrona said, moving to a bookcase at the far other end of the room. "It'll go faster that way." She muttered, mostly to prevent her weapon from bursting forth only to delay the inevitable.

* * *

As promised, as soon as her mission was over she had gone to meet Maka. Her mission with Kid had ended up going until the laughing sun rose over the horizon. She didn't want to bail on Maka's invitation yet again, so after a quick shower, she texted her friend to let her know she back at the school safe and sound. Upon hearing she hadn't slept, the blonde all but demanded the two head to Deathbucks for coffee, which was fine. They didn't have school for the next few days, so any lost sleep could be retrieved in a few hours.

"So Chrona, is there anything you'd like to tell me?" Maka grinned over her cup at their shared table. The pink haired girl thought a moment, ideas bounced about as she tried to think.

"Umm…" No use, she might as well be looking for a needle in a haystack. "I don't know."

"Your mission, with Kid." Maka replied calmly, too calmly. "How'd it go?" There was a knowing twinkle in her eye. Not at all intimidating, but definitely confusing for the pink-haired miester.

"Well…it- it went... well." Chrona stuttered, her heart beating a million miles a minute. She turned to her cup of coco for guidance, it didn't do much good. "Umm... we got stuck, for a while. One of his, uh what'd you call them, 'fits'? It took a bit to get everything clean enough to leave. I didn't want to just leave him there." She took a slow drink from her cup to stop from rambling too much.

"Oh, I see." Maka said with a smile. The other girl sat up attentive.

"What, what do you see?" Chrona asked. She didn't like the way Maka had said that, almost like she was talking to a child.

"Oh nothing." Maka dismissed in sing-song. "You know what, let's go shopping!" Chrona sighed, she had already been awake for a long time, but she promised the two would spend more time together. She prayed quietly that there wouldn't be too many people where Maka planned to take her.

* * *

Chrona stood transfixed at the entrance to the dress shop Maka had chosen. Maka had practically ran in, excited to have a friend to share her favorite shop with without complaining. The blonde turned to her friend from inside the shop, a tad perplexed.

"Is something wrong?" Maka asked.

"This shop is really... pink." Chrona murmured. True to her comment, the outside walls were painted in coats of obnoxious rose paint.

"Well of course it is," Maka chuckled, "this place is the Pink House. Don't worry, not all of the dresses are pink." Chrona hesitantly stepped into the hot pink boutique, the inside was no different. Whimsical flowers were painted onto the walls, which were as fluorescent as the outside. Every table was covered with bizarre knickknacks made of twisted iron and glass. Dresses were hung on various types of racks, from circular to wall mounted. "I hardly get to come here anymore because of Soul. He doesn't think it's cool for a guy to be seen in a shop like this." Maka glanced at Chrona and moved to a different rack. "I'm guessing you're a medium."

"What? Me?" Chrona exclaimed. Weren't they here so Maka could get a dress? After all, Chrona already had a dress, it fit rather nicely in fact. Maka turned and rested a hand on Chrona's shoulder.

"Chrona, I'm sorry I didn't notice before.' Maka sighed. "I've been so busy lately- but don't worry, I'll help."

"Y-you will?" Chrona asked in disbelief. "Aren't you mad?" Maka turned back to the rack of dresses and resumed her hunt.

"Why would I be mad?" She asked and held a purple dress to Chrona's frame. "Too lacy." She tossed it to the side.

"Well with all that Kid and I have been doing-"

"It's to be expected." Maka concluded. "You've been making great progress so far though. I think you almost got him." She tossed a pink dress to the side.

"Got him?" Chrona frowned.

"Everyone in our friend group is so dense." Maka tsked as she riffled through the racks. "What you need is to nudge him a little more in the right direction."

"How?" Chrona asked, completely lost, but willing to humor her friend.

"With this!" Maka held up a high collared, black evening gown. "Go ahead, try it on!" The shorter girl had already given Chrona a push toward the changing room.

"Alright, but I don't see how this will help." Chrona said. She took the flowing gown from her friend and into the changing room. The dress hugged her chest, but flowed loosely down to her ankles. Chrona shyly peaked her head out from between the curtains. "My arms are cold." Chrona stuttered. She pulled at the rhinestone necklace that held up the Victorian style neckline.

"You look wonderful, don't worry." Maka soothed. "If you wear this, I'm sure it will help." Maka turned Chrona toward the mirror and stood beside her, her arm rested around Chrona's bare shoulders. "If you wear this, Kid will definitely notice you. Who knows, he might even return your feelings."

"M-my feelings!" What feelings? What was Maka talking about?

"I'm really sorry I didn't notice before. A good friend doesn't ignore things like that. Now that I know you have a crush on Kid, I won't bother you about your little 'study sessions' anymore." She smiled at her friend, who consequently, was in complete shock. Ragnarok emerged from Chrona's back mid laughing fit.

"M-maka, I don't-" Chrona was cut off by her weapon.

"Ahahahaha! Looks like you've been caught Chrona!"

"Ragnarok, what are you doing?" Chrona hissed, embarrassed.

"I'm helping you, you dolt." Ragnarok whispered back. He leaned back and laughed. "Heh heh, I wonder how Stripes will react to the news?"

"What, no, you can't!" Chrona waved her arms in a panic, she'd never be able to look Kid in the face again if he heard such a rumor.

"I don't know. I can be pretty loose lipped when it comes to stuff like this." Ragnarok mused. "Although I wouldn't be talking as much if I was eating candy."

"Four pieces." Maka suggested, irritated, but willing to bribe the weapon if it meant shielding Chrona from the public humiliation he was planning.

"Only four, gee thanks." Ragnarok snorted.

"Fine, six pieces then." Maka scowled.

"I don't know, would six pieces last me? Who knows when Chrona will tell him." Chrona watched with silent fear as the two bargained over her future. "I'll keep my mouth shut and you give me sixteen pieces of candy. The good kind, not half a packet of smarties."

"Deal." Maka agreed. "Come on Chrona, let's check out and get you home."

"Will you have enough money for this thing and my candy?" Ragnarok questioned.

"Shut up Ragnarok!" The girls shouted.

* * *

Kid flipped through the brittle pages that they had gotten from the dank library yesterday. He sighed as he skimmed for Iroha's name. Today had been really awkward, every time he met Chrona in the halls they hadn't been able to meet each other's eyes. She was probably mad at him for tripping over her when they were in the library.

The library…

He shook his head; he didn't have time to think about stuff like that. With Liz and Patty's party around the corner and the key to Iroha at hand; he didn't have time to think about how she had stayed with him the entire time. She helped him sort the books instead of yelling at him about the waste of time. The look in her eyes when he was over her hadn't held a hint of disgust. Even the softness of her- Flipping the page, he resumed his search. He needed to focus! At last Iroha's name came up in the old book.

"Here it is." He said to himself. "Being a witch with a grigori soul, the magical capabilities of such a wavelength was stronger than others. A witch with a naturally winged soul is so rare, that they are placed in a category all of their own, the sekaigami.

"Using powerful magic she, and other witch rebels, formed a fortress against Lord Death. Her path eventually lead to her own demise at the Grimore castle and was executed by Lord Death himself. Her soul was said to evaporate under his touch, unable to be obtained by death itself. No other has been seen since, leaving Iroha as the only recorded sekaigami." Kid stared at the delicate book.

"…a witch." He repeated. "Then that means… the magic tools were made by witches as well."He turned to the seat next to him. "Hey Chrona, do you-" He stopped. That's right, Chrona wasn't working with him today. He sighed and slumped down in his desk at Gallows Manor. He stared at the book once more and closed his eyes in defeat. "I'll ask her tomorrow." He murmured.


	7. Waiting For the End

Chrona studied her foggy reflection in her pseudo mirror from inside her cell. She timidly held the new dress Maka had bought for her up to her frame, trying to imagine wearing it around a crowd of people. No matter how nice the gesture, it still unsettled her, but she didn't want to let her friends down by rejecting their invitation.

"Wow Chrona, so you're the type of girl who owns two dresses now, congratulations." Ragnarok said with as much sarcasm as he could muster, long bored of watching the girl stare listlessly at herself. "Come on, quit freaking out, the party's not for another day. It'll be fine. If it makes you that uncomfortable, wear what you usually wear, that's what I'm doing." She looked at him with horror, the gears turning in her mind.

"We... we didn't get you anything to wear." She frowned. "I didn't even think to look, I'm so sorry! I can fix this."

"What are you talking about?" Ragnarok pushed down on her head and ruffled her hair. "This is business as usual for you, you airhead. You should be working on getting to go on missions again so I gain back my strength, not playing dress up." She formed a blade along the heal of her palm and cut the bottom trim of the dress in a panic. "What are you doing!?" He tried to grab her hand, but she pulled away.

"You need a bow tie." She fumbled with the loose ribbon of fabric and tried to form some semblance of a bow. "I shouldn't be the only one who gets to wear nice things." 

"Chrona, your friends aren't going to care what I wear." Ragnarok shook his head.

"They're our friends!" She insisted. "They care about both of us, they have to. We share _everything_." She held up the clumsy bow tie with dissatisfaction. "I'm not the best at this; all these new things are scary and confusing. But it's just like training, the more we do it, the less scary it is. This time, I'll be the one to get us through this." He took the tie with a sigh. The girl had a bad habit of getting tied up in tangential thoughts that were hard to let go of. This time, he had a sinking suspicion he knew the route cause.

"I got no one to impress as an iron blob Chrona." He put it on with exaggerated motions. "But I'll gladly tell everyone you made that stinking thing for me from Maka's present." 

A knock at the door nearly made her jump out of her skin.

"Chrona, you in there?" Kid asked outside the door. She looked down at the dress and panicked. What would he say if he saw she cut up something so expensive? Maka would definately noticed if she showed up to the party without it.

"Uhh…hold on!" She shed her current attire and kicked it under the bed.

"Chrona, are you alright?" Kid asked. 

"Oh she's just peachy." Ragnarok snickered. She gave up trying to fully unzip the back in favor of pulling the new garment on by force. After a few pleading looks, Ragnarok helped her fasten the neckline in a presentable fashion before bolting for the exit.

"Hold on!" She hopped over a stack of books and threw open the door. "Hello." She leaned against the door frame to catch her breath. All the while, Ragnarok was trying not to laugh.

"And hello to you." Kid said, a small list of imperfections growing in his head. However, years of living with Liz had taught him to at least try to hold his tongue when their friends tried to dress up. Still, he was glad she seemed excited about coming to the gala.

"Ready to go?" She asked.

* * *

The ballroom of Gallows Manor was lined with sparkling gold lights; elegant candles were lit to illuminate the countless tables. The center of the room had been cleared for couples to dance upon. As soon as they arrived, Kid had to run off and 'fix' a series of things that bled into each other during his ramblings. It left Chrona a sleek black pillar among a sea of pearlized gowns, suits and unrecognizable faces. 

Tsubaki was the first to find her and she soon found herself able to relax under the camouflage of being in a group. There was the usual exchange of pleasantries and immediate updates about their lives. She got a hug from Maka and narrowly avoided Black Star's boisterous headlock until the hosts arrived. Unfortunately, only Liz was able to break away from event planning to say hi. 

"Glad you guys could make it!" Liz greeted. 

"Why are there so many people here?" Maka looked around the crowded room confused. "I thought only a few people were invited." Liz shook her head.

"That's why we've been so busy today. _Someone_ told the whole school that Kid was throwing a party today." The group turned to look at Black Star who had already eaten five plates of food. "Anyway, Kid and I have been scrambling to get everything in order."

"I'd say you've done a fine job." Maka nodded. Off in the distance a particularly rowdy pair were getting the boot from Patty for wrecking an ice sculpture. Though if it was partially out of jealousy, it was unclear.

"Well help yourself to some food while we cue up a soundtrack." She turned to Soul. "You brought the records right?" The boy held up three jazz records.

"I don't know if they'll fit the mood of the party though." She took them eagerly.

"They'll be better than Kid's Lincoln Park record at least." She guided Soul towards the old record player while Maka and Chrona made their way to the buffet table. Soft piano accompanied by a low saxophone soon mingled in with a chorus of clinking plates and background chatter. 

"Do you want anything?" Maka asked.

"N-no, I'm not hungry." She shook her head. She didn't know how to deal with such fancy food. "I'll go save us a table so we can all sit together." Maka nodded in agreement and Chrona sat down at an empty table.

"Hey, what gives?" Ragnarok demanded. "That's good food you just passed up!"

"I didn't know what to pick, it's too fancy." Chrona frowned. "I can't tell what's food and what's decoration."

"Well the least you could do was nab something for me! I would have gladly dealt with it for you." It wasn't just the food, but the ballroom, the whole manor; they didn't belong here. She scanned the room for the young shinigami only to see Liz weave around the many guests to get to them. If she knew there would be this many strangers from school, she probably would have said no. It was just too much too fast. Still, she had barely talked to everyone and leaving now would seem rude. She just had to endure the bombardment of stimulation for a little bit more and then she could leave. 

"I still don't see Shini-kun." Chrona sighed. Her irritated partner pulled at the ends of her mouth.

"Don't you start with that, we had a deal. Now lighten up! It's a party after all." Maka returned to the table with two plates full of food.

"I know you said you weren't hungry, but I got some stuff for Ragnarok; if that's alright." Maka sat down with the plates.

"Alright? This is awesome!" Ragnarok grabbed the plate. "You're not so bad after all." He gobbled down the luxurious food with glee, careful to avoid ruining his humble bowtie. There was a pause from Chrona's partner. "Sixteen pieces of candy, how thoughtful of you." He stuffed the truffles in the handbag Maka had lent to Chrona. Soul joined them at the table along with Black Star and Tsubaki. Every now and again Liz or Patty would stop by to chat before running to put out fires or protect the manor's furniture. While hanging out with her friends was enjoyable, Chrona found herself constantly checking the clock.

"I'm going to go get some fresh air." Chrona mumbled.

"Oh, O.K." Maka said pleasantly.

"Guard that with your life." Ragnarok said in reference to the bag that held his candy. "I will come back for it!" He slipped inside Chrona's body as the girl walked off.

* * *

Chrona sunk into the corner of the ballroom; all she wanted to do was say hi to Kid who were tending to the guests, but it she had been waiting almost two hours. In the end she couldn't find him and ended up hopelessly lost among all the people. At least in the corner she knew where she was. As the people swirled around the room Chrona became lost in thought. Just a month ago she had killed over a hundred people, to get stronger like Medusa had said; some plan that had turned out to be. She had done horrible things because she was afraid. Then Maka had come and said she wanted to be friends. But then again, she needed Chrona close by to know what the dangers her black blood would have now that it contaminated Soul's body. Then there was Kid who needed help with his research on Eibon. She was used to being a tool, but she felt bad about wanting to help some people more than others. That she'd rather hang out with some people more than others. 

Across the room, Kid noticed the dark wallflower in the corner. He excused himself from the small gaggle of guests. Weaving around the dancing couples, Kid made his way to where Chrona sat in the room. She picked at the hem of her dress; maybe it would be best if she just headed home.

"Why am I not surprised." He chuckled. "Everyone's been worried about you." She looked up at him in surprise.

"Shini-kun." She whispered. "Where have you been, I looked all over."

"Sorry I got so caught up with the party. Every time I thought I could get away, something would come up. I wanted to make the perfect party for you guys, but it doesn't seem like everyone's having fun." He held out his hand and wore an oddly warm smile. "Would you grace me with a dance?" He asked. Dance, her? She didn't know how to dance! She was barely certain she could avoid tripping over his shoes. Still, it would be a great chance to talk to him uninterrupted. It seemed lately neither of them could manage a comfortable conversation with each other for long without stumbling over their words or getting called away.

"Sure." She took his hand and was lead to the center of the room. She might have done horrible things in the past, but she was making her own decisions now, starting with him. The music swelled as Chrona and Kid made their way to the floor. They quickly fell in sync with the others.

"You look nice." Kid commented as the two swayed to the beat. "I wanted to say something earlier but..." His mind kept going into overdrive, over analyzing every detail. Still, her smile was symmetrical; and even if he couldn't find the exact words to describe how much he appreciated her coming. 

"Thanks." Chrona blushed at the comment, her eyes drifted to the floor. There it was again, that strange warmth the came from his wavelength. This time, instead of running, she merely basked in it. This is where she wanted to be, endlessly by his side.

* * *

Outside of the glittering party, a small green frog hopped onto the window sill. It's frosty breath fogged up the crystallized glass. Soft rain drizzled on the dark streets; the cool shadows emphasized the warmth that trickled out of the window. Golden lights reflected off the frog's slick skin as it made contact with it's master.

"Medusa," it croaked, "I found her." In the iris of the amphibian a small snake coiled. It hissed and was illuminated with an unnatural purple glow. "Should I go get her?" The frog could hear a gentle hum as the snake witch watched from her crystal ball.

"Not yet, Eruka." Medusa said. The frog frowned, for the past few days she had been hopping around like mad and risking her neck to find Chrona. The sudden change in attitude from her forced employer was extremely unsettling.

"But Medusa, the whole reason I came was to find Chrona." Eruka insisted.

"And you have done so; finally." The witch said coldly. Her small hand traced around the crystal ball she stared into. Her daughter's dance with the only son of Lord Death shown back at her, mocking her efforts. A sadistic smile bled across her features for a moment, then vanished as she straightened up. "It seems my daughter has been busy in my absence. I must admit, I am curious as to what she has been doing as of late." She stood from her spot on the stone floor. "Let's watch her, at least for a day. After all, we need to assess the damage done." The joyous pair chuckled at the end of their dance; their amusement irked the snake witch deeply as it tore at an old wound in her pride. She glared at the image of the shinigami reflected in her crystal. "A mere boy will not disrupt my plans." She growled.


	8. The Curse Lives On

Kid and Chrona sat at an iron café table outside of Deathbucks. As fall bled into winter, it was more common for chilly overcast days to hide both shadows and sun. Though as gloomy as the weather was, Chrona was glad she'd mustered enough courage to sit across from him after the whirlwind of emotions the party had stirred up. As it was, every time she thought to speak, she found herself second guessing her intentions. Or rather, how others perceived them. She couldn't help but wonder if Maka's well intended excitement was feeding into the awkward wall she found between herself and the shinigami. She sipped carefully at her cup of hot chocolate, trying to buy time within the silence to broach a more pressing topic than the rabbit hole of speculations that plagued her.

Kid hadn't been able to convince his father to let her come along during his mission in Massachusetts. She wished she could have gone, but Lord Death had been rather stern on the matter. It was getting to the point the two seriously considered Shinigami-sama knew more about what they were doing than he was letting on. Her partner in crime slumped further in his chair, his gaze locked with his coffee in a lifeless staring contest. Perhaps he couldn't bribe his emotions with sweets as easily as she could.

"How did the mission go?" She finally asked. The boy jolted at her voice, guilt and fatigue written on his face. As the rush of adrenaline subsided, he sighed and shook his head.

-The Previous Day-

 _The mission itself proved to be simple, if not annoying. A demon going by "The Bloody Pit" had been hiding in the shadows of the Hoosac tunnel for centuries, luring travelers into oncoming trains by concealing the sounds within the tunnel. It was only after careful observation that Shibusen was able to identify it as Kishen activity. There had been no telling how many souls it had consumed over the years, leading Lord Death to ban Chrona from the mission entirely._ _It didn't matter how competent a fighter either was, Lord Death didn't want a witch anywhere near a kishen egg with that much potential. Kid found it odd, considering The Bloody Pit was terrified of the light. One flood-lamp during midday was enough to corner the monster for collection. Still he had to respect his father's wishes, so following the mission he had to investigate on his own._

_Kid walked among the shelves of an ancient book store. In his hand a list of fifteen books that held mention of Iroha. He scanned the shelves for one of the titles; his gaze was drawn to an empty slot on the shelf. He sighed; the volume must have been purchased by another patron. Shaking his head, Kid moved on to the next title. Yet the same occurred with the next book and the next. He pulled at the hood that covered his stripes in irritation. All of the books were collector's items, some hand written, it was hard to believe none of the originals were here. Someone couldn't have just bought them all , it was too much of a coincidence._

_"What are you doing!" Demanded a small, haggard old man. Kid turned around abruptly to face the hunched senior._

_"I'm looking for a book on the Sekaigami Iroha." Kid said. The man regarded the disguised shinigami._

_"How would you know about her?" The man groused. "You're far too young." He lowered his glasses, peering at Kid with beady black eyes.  
_

_"That's just it; I don't know anything about her. I would like to remedy that." The man snorted, and held back whatever biting remark first came to mind.  
_

_"Your lucky I have a soft spot for preserving what mortals try to forget." He paused, expecting some sort of gratitude. When none came, he merely grumbled under his breath and ushered Kid to follow. "Well you won't find any of those books out here. Come this way." He hobbled past the shelves and preening bird statues to the back of his shop. Inside a glass case was a charred grimoire. "I've tried to find copies of the others, but my competition is unreasonably persistent." Kid reached for the book to have his hand grabbed. "Be careful!" The shop keep shook his head. "Young people, honestly. No respect for knowledge what so ever."  
_

_With a whistle, a scarlet statue ruffled its feathers and took flight. The ibis gracefully landed above the book, and gingerly turned a page with its beak. It waited patiently for Kid to lock eyes with it before turning the page._

_"So how much will it cost?" Kid asked, still skimming through the book._

_"Nothing," the man snapped, "it isn't for sale. I make it a point to never sell books to young people, regardless of station or power. Not after the last time." Kid paused in his search. Pages had been torn out of the book, any page that had her name scrawled on it appeared to be missing._ _"See what I mean." The bird closed the book and launched itself into the air. "I caught one of them in the back alley burning all the records I had let him borrow." The bird landed on his head, fluffed and agitated.  
_

_"What did he look like?" Kid demanded._

_"No need to shout. His hair had odd white lines in it and he wore this tasteless human mask. When I asked him what he thought he was doing, he bolted." The old man shook his head. "Not even a century old and he thought he could dip his fingers into other people's domains… It's no wonder there's been so much war the last few hundred years."  
_

_"Wait, how old are you?" The shop keep rolled his eyes. Leave it to a fledgling demi-god to not recognize his predecessors. Still, his collection hadn't survived as long as it had by starting meaningless squabbles with sheltered immortals.  
_

_"That's none of your business you filthy little boy." Kid gave a quick bow, acutely aware of the growing number of birds that surveyed his actions from every bookshelf. He took his leave with what little notes he could transcribe. "Stupid kids, running around my shop, disrespecting their elders. In 900 years you'd think they'd gain a little common." He mumbled._

_"Thank you for your help." Now he was sure of it. Something happened involving the Sekaigami long ago, something his father wanted to hide._

-Present Day-

"That was the only lead we had left." Kid sighed. "I think… maybe we should give up." Anyone who had been alive at that time wouldn't even give him the time of day, let alone an interview on his father's personal life. Trying to negotiate with a witch was too risky for either of them to try as well. Without any concrete evidence, he couldn't even justify bringing in their other friends.

"We can't give up now!" Chrona exclaimed. "You just found out that Shinigami-sama is hiding something. You almost found out what is was too!" Chrona knew from experience people only hide things that couldn't be distorted with lies. Considering the position of power Lord Death held, it was concerning he felt the need to go this hard to hide something about a witch. Surely, the city's stance on witches was already at an all time low, no more should need to be done.

"He got there first, hundreds of years before us." Kid emphasized.

"Well maybe if we back track-"

"It won't do us any good, we've already exhausted our previous options." Kid attempted to drink his coffee and grimaced. It had long chilled from the fall air.

"Could you get any leads from the rest of the book?" Chrona fingered the lip of her cup nervously. If they stopped the investigation, then there would be no reason for him to talk to her. There would be no more late night study sessions or secret missions. She would just be another friend to him then; the thought alone made her nauseous.

"Only the location of the brew." If they went after it for themselves, he knew it would catch his father's attention. That was something they couldn't afford to do, especially now. Maybe, if Liz and Patty were death scythes, he'd be 'worthy' of deeper family secrets. As of right now, he was still viewed as a child.

"Then we can check there, after all Eibon died protecting it." Chrona suggested, but Kid shook his head at the idea.

"There was an accident, the building combusted and left behind a residual magic field. It surrounds the ruins and can erase a person's body after twenty minutes." Kid confessed. Chewing at her lip, Chrona looked up at the shinigami.

"I thought that where the school's next big mission was... They're not sending you guys there alone, are they?" She asked, increasingly aware of how everyone she knew had been recruited for this mission. Another mission she wasn't allowed to go on. Kid silently nodded. "Well, maybe you'll find something while you're there." Crona said hopefully. "I'll continue searching here at the school. Between the two of us we should find something." Kid gave her a weak smile and nodded.

"Maybe you're right." Kid said. "I have to go now. I'll see you tomorrow." Chrona nodded and bid him good bye. Little did the pair know, a small green frog overheard their conversation.

* * *

Chrona walked through the back streets that lead to Shibusen. She didn't think talking with Marie-Sensei would help regulate the cascade of anxieties that threatened to pull her down. Ragnarok's 'figure it out yourself' attitude would be even less helpful. She liked being around Kid, alone, but that was because one person was easier to deal with than a group. Wasn't it?

It's not like Chrona had ever sought out someone's attention before. She didn't even really hang out with Maka without an invitation from the blonde. Without a common goal, how was she even expected to persuade someone her presence was necessary? Especially with the looming chaos that was the Kishen, all of Death City was in preparation mode. Even if she wanted to try 'wasting' time with someone, it hardly seemed appropriate now. Especially with her.

An airy gasp tore the girl from her thoughts.

"Chrona, is that you?" a childish voice asked. Chrona's whole body froze on instinct. Even with a stranger's voice, she recognized the chilling aura of her mother.

"Medusa?" Chrona stuttered. Fear coiled around her as she turned to face the witch as she used a child as a living puppet. She sat on her snakes, suspended over a crate, with a perturbing angelic smile.

There had always been doubt in the girl's mind that Professor Stein was successful in slaying the snake witch. After all, the whole school was completely ignorant on the mechanics and methods of magic. Still, it seemed logical that if the witch had survived, she'd thrown Chrona away as punishment. After all, what use was a demon sword that couldn't hold onto a single soul.

"You even recognize me!" Medusa cheered. "I'm so glad I found you, I've been worried sick." She clapped her hands together, offering sugary platitudes to the shaken miester. "You've done better than I could have hope."

"W-what do you mean?" Chrona asked cautiously. Such behavior had always been used as bait in the past.

"Why, you've gained the trust of Shibusen. Not only that, but you're making valuable allies on the inside to spy Lord Death." Is that what it looked like?

"You got the wrong idea." Chrona said, backing away slowly. "I'm helping Shini-kun, not the other way around. Besides, we've given up, so there's nothing more to talk about."

"Oh, that's too bad." Medusa pouted. Chrona was almost far enough away that she could bolt toward the street signs. Marie's home was closer than the school, surely she could convince the Death Scythe to let her stay the night. "If only there was a way I could help… oh wait, I can." Her daughter froze. "I was there when the Grimoire castle was destroyed; I even know what happened to Iroha-san." A snake flicked out from the witches mouth. "But, you don't trust me anymore, do you?" She hung her head with a pout, as if ashamed. The witch hoped down from her crate and started to walk away. Chrona merely stood there in silent fear. "Well, Eruka's always around, should you change your mind."

* * *

Chrona had made it back to the school safely and locked her door tight. That night her friends had to go over strategies for the upcoming siege to retrieve the brew. This left Chrona alone with her thoughts. Deep within her soul a small war was waged.

_Inside of the reflection of her soul, water lapped at Chrona's feet. Her personification of the self had a younger form that studied the bizarre reflection in the sea. Where once, her shadow would lay, a bright reflection shown back at her. It mimicked her in every way but one, the eyes were a deep purple in contrast to her own soft blue._

_"Hello." The reflection greeted. Its voice the same as her own. "We haven't met in a while." It hadn't been that long ago that the whole realm had been a wasteland of endless sand and debris. Now the silence was broken with the sound of crashing waves from a wind torn sea. The wide shoreline had replaced her small, self imposed boundaries, though she dare not wander into the water._

_"You look different." Chrona mumbled at her reflection. "You changed." Just like her old shadow, the reflection had a mind of its own. Though see it's opinionated reactions through the sea foam was harder to look at than a lifeless shadow._

_"I didn't change, you changed. I am you after all. Well I guess technically you are me, or I need you. I'm not entirely sure myself anymore." The image confessed, "So much has happened, it's hard to keep track of... If you don't mind, I'd like to ask you some questions."_

_"Can I say pass?" Crona asked._

_"I suppose." The reflection sighed. "So, what's your name?"_

_"…Chrona." She answered. The reflection beamed through crisp, clear waters._

_"Good we're finally making progress. Medusa's back, how do you feel about it?" The clouds in the sky fragmented as the wind pulled at the shoreline._

_"Pass."_

_"We're already back to that?" The reflection seemed to grow darker, sorrow was evident on its face. "Your mother didn't seem terribly interested in you, did that bother you?"_

_"Pass."_

_"Surely you must think something of it?"_

_"Pass."_

_"A change of subject then." The image digressed. "You went to a wonderful party last night, did you like it?"_

_"Pass."_

_"Not talking about that either." She sighed. "Well, if you don't want to talk to me, what do you want to do?"_

_"I want to help Shini-kun." Chrona said. The reflection frowned._

_"Why?" It asked, there was something in her voice. Desperation? Fear? Maybe a little of both._

_"He… he needs me." Chrona said. The reflection's face contorted, this wasn't good. Usually it wasn't this personable._

_"That's not true." The reflection frowned, "You've already helped him more than enough. He said himself he wants to give up; why don't you?"_

_"I don't want to lose him." Chrona said._

_"You won't lose him; you'll still see him at school. You'll be living a normal life. Isn't that what you always wanted?" It demanded, it looked… frustrated at her. But why? She had answered the questions, more than usual, that should have been enough._

_"It isn't the same." Chrona rationalized. "He won't want to talk to me, just me."_

_"Other people do the same thing every day and that doesn't bother you. What's so special about him?"_

_"He…he just is. He knows what it's like to be paralyzed by 'normal' things and I like that he tries to make me comfortable without treating me like a child. He's kind and he's smart, and his soul-" Chrona blushed. "When I'm around him I don't feel alone. I don't want to lose that warmth I feel when he's around. But... if I tell him that, it just sounds so selfish."_

_"So what are you going to do?" The girl asked. "Medusa said she knew something about Iroha, are you going to ask her for help?"_

_"I don't want to talk Medusa." Chrona whispered. "She scares me." The wind howled as it threatened to drag both into the depths of the sea._

_"Well you don't have to," the reflection stated, "it's your choice." Her choice, Chrona thought. 'I don't care what choice you make, just don't half ass it.' That's right; she promised Ragnarok that she would stick by her decision, whatever the consequences. If Medusa had information that would help Kid, well then she would have to get it._

_"I'm going to ask her." Chrona decided. She stood against the wind and dusted the sand off her dress._

_"I hope he's worth it." The reflection mused. The tide pulled out, taking her reflection with it._

* * *

"Eruka," Chrona peered out of the barred window of her room. "Eruka." A small frog wriggled up onto the window sill and croaked softly.

"Hey Chrona, have you made your decision?" The girl nodded in response.

"I... I need to talk to Medusa." Chrona affirmed.

"Great," Eruka cheered with relief, "now let's get you out of there." The amphibian pushed on one of the bars to her window. It popped out of the stone wall with ease and soon the others joined it on the floor. Chrona hoisted herself up onto the foot thick window sill and paused. "Chrona, what's wrong?" Chrona lifted her hand to reveal worn grooves on the sill, grooves that had been there long before Eruka had pushed on the bars.

"Nothing. Let's go." Chrona fell clumsily to the ground only two feet below her window. She dusted herself off and followed Eruka to the back ally where she had met her mother earlier that day.

"I see you've chosen to learn the truth about what happened to Iroha-san."Medusa said. Chrona took a deep breath.

"Yes, please tell me."

"Alright then," Medusa sat herself down on a crate. "I grew up with Iroha-san. When our home had been attacked, she took my sisters and I into her manor in Salem. Many young witches practiced magic there, mostly spells to protect each other's wave length. Then she made the mistake of dealing with Lord Death. He found out that we were all witches and destroyed the whole town. Many fled instead of trying to fight him off; my sister was one of them. Afterwards Iroha-san had vanished, her wavelength no longer could be found."

"Did she die?" Chrona asked.

"No, I found her again two years later; though I wish I hadn't." Medusa fought the sorrow that shown on her face. "Lord Death didn't physically kill her that day in Salem, but he might as well have." Anger built up in the tiny witch. "His betrayal drove her mad. She gave up on order, just held away in her tower and asked us to gather things; those of us who were left."

"To make the brew?" Chrona asked.

"Oh that was the first thing we had to fetch. No, it was to make something else, something more powerful than the brew. She thought if she poured her soul and magic alike into this... thing, she could mend the divide between both sides. She lost her mind trying to stop the protect everyone; she couldn't see that the only ones left were taking advantage of her.

"Even I was too concerned with my sister at the time to notice what was going on. Arachne was creating demon weapons like Ragnarok at the time, by stealing the souls of human infants and witches. I tried to stop her, but she disappeared and left Iroha-san defenseless with aftermath of her heresy. Lord Death blamed her for everything, even though she was a desperate shadow of her former self." Medusa was unusually candid, unable to hide her mourning and fear while in her child-like state.

"I can still remember the power of the blast Lord Death created. He murdered her in a massive display of power and has been trying to justify his actions for years. He knew she what she represented and eliminate her." Medusa collected her emotions and hopped off her box. With that same uncanny sweetness, she curtsied. "Will that suffice?"

"I-I think." She frowned. Knowing her aunt was involved in the incident could open up further investigation, but it wasn't solid evidence to go by. Still, anything was helpful at that point. She went to leave but was stopped by Medusa's small hand.

"Oh, but Chrona." The witch grinned sadistically. "Nothing is for free." She held up a blue pen and placed it in Chrona's hand. "I need you to do me a little favor."

**Author's Note:**

> This is a remastered version of my 2012 fic from fanfiction. I will be updating periodically, including richer detail and editing than the original publication from when I was much younger.


End file.
